The Mount Vernon ISD One Act Play program will present its annual public performance of this year’s competition production, “Frankenstein,” on Sunday, March 8.
This year’s performance features “Frankenstein,” adapted by A.S.P. Peterson, a story that One Act Play director Carley Hunt says challenges both the actors and the audience to reflect on empathy and how people treat one another.
For those unfamiliar with the One-Act Play program, it is a University Interscholastic League (UIL) competition in which students must condense a full-length play into a performance lasting no more than 40 minutes. If a production runs even one second over the time limit, it is disqualified.
“It’s really different for every school and every division,” Hunt explained. “For us at Mount Vernon, we rehearse mostly after school about three or four times a week because so many of our students are involved in other activities like athletics, FFA, and more.”
Mount Vernon has built a strong reputation in UIL theater. According to Hunt, the school ranks among the top 1% of programs in Texas for state appearances, with 14 trips to the state contest and 4 state championships in school history.
Because of that tradition, selecting a play each year is no small task.
“Every year when I pick a play, I look at the students I have and ask what kind of story is important for them to tell,” Hunt said.
This year’s cast includes eight seniors — all boys — something Hunt said is unusual for small school theater programs. The selection of Frankenstein allows those students to explore a story that goes beyond the well-known monster tale.
“It’s a story everybody knows, but people don’t always understand it,” Hunt said. “It makes you question humanity and how we treat people. I think it helps students think about empathy and the way society treats those who may be different.”
Hunt said the theater provides students with opportunities to grow both on stage and personally. Many students enter the program unsure about performing, only to discover the challenge and discipline involved.
“A lot of my kids say they never thought about doing theater,” she said. “Then they learn how difficult it actually is — speaking in front of people, the physical work of performing, and becoming a character instead of themselves.”
Community support, she added, plays an important role in that growth.
“When the community comes out and supports them, it shows these kids that they are seen and that their hard work matters,” Hunt said. “They’re stretching themselves, not just as actors but as people.”
The public performance also serves as an important fundraiser for the program. Proceeds help support theater activities at both the high school and middle school levels, covering items such as makeup, stage materials, and other production needs.
Hunt says the students’ dedication behind the scenes is something the audience will notice.
“They become like a family,” she said. “They create this story together, and it’s really something special to watch.”
The community is invited to attend the public performance of “Frankenstein” by the MVISD One Act Play students this Sunday, March 8, at the Mount Vernon High School auditorium. The show begins at 2:00 p.m. A $5 donation is requested at the door. Come support the students’ work!
