BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Staff Writer

Clarkston High School Drama Club Troupe 803 returned from the Michigan Thespian Festival, Dec. 13-14 in Detroit, with top-notch ratings and scholarship offers.
Nearly 40 CHS thespians attended productions, participated in workshops, networked with college representatives and competed in individual events.
“Our kids made Clarkston proud,” said CHS Drama Club Advisor and Theatre Manager Amy Seaman. “One of our students, Aryana Berres, received a perfect score from all three judges. Our trio of singers (Rose Chiodo, Katelynn Parker, and Paige Schneider) actually performed on the main stage at the META showcase closing night in front of at least 1,500 other student thespians. Jennifer Ward (acting coach and musical director) and I are extremely proud.”
Superior ratings were earned at the event by Maryn McConnell for solo musical theater; Hailey Hibberd, costume design; Sophie Little, sound design; Niki Mehta, solo dance; Brooke Larkin, monologue; Charles Dunn, playwriting; Katelynn Parker, playwriting; and Berres, stage management.
Chloe Chiappelli and Brady Stewart for duet musical theater; Mackenzie Karsten, costume construction; Marcos Sepulveda, lighting design; Jenna Ritchey, solo musical theater; and Abby Campbell, monologue, were awarded excellent individual ratings, as did Mehta, Paige Schneider, Rose Chiodo, Allison Evans, Sierra Bonser, Susanna Metz for group dance; Sam Stanek and Katharine Rottach, duet musical theater and duet acting; and Chiodo, Parker, and Schneider, group musical theater.
In addition, several students received scholarship offers: Little (sound design, Heidelberg $66,000, Northern Michigan University $24,000, Rochester $85,000, Siena Heights $72,000, Hope College $12,000), Ritchey (performance, Heidelberg University $58,000, Rochester University $37,500), Stanek (performance, Heidelberg $58,000), Sepulveda (lighting design, Siena Heights University $40,000, Heidelberg $60,000), and Megan Zabinski (lighting design, Northern Michigan $8,000, Rochester $25,000).
The scholarship total, $545,500, is the most CHS has ever earned at this event.