As the end of the year approaches, one thing many families look forward to in Verona High School is the annual One Act Festival.

The One Act Festival is comprised of a series of student directed plays ranging from only about 10-20 minutes long. This year, the festival was held on April 29 in the VHS auditorium.

There were five one act plays in this year’s festival: How to Kiss a Girl, directed by seniors Star Kent-Finnegan and Arianne Valderrama; How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying, directed by juniors Mia Corbett and Alana Murphy; Meet the Roommates, directed by seniors Miranda Williams and Ryan Vail; A Murdered Mystery, directed by junior Rachelle Smith; and Jimmy the Antichrist, directed by juniors Katie Fernandez and Anna Shea.

Something people might not know about the One Act Festival is that the plays are critiqued by judges from outside the school – this year Kathleen Kelly and Rick Sordelet – and eventually given awards. Sordelet spoke to the student directors before the show began, “I don’t believe in any of this; this [giving the titles and awards] is just something we have to do. I believe that you all win, by working hard and actually making your plays happen. You’re all winners.”

The two judges decided that the first place winner was Meet the Roommates, followed by How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying in second place and a tie for third place between How to Kiss a Girl and Jimmy the Antichrist.

Overall, 2016’s One Act Festival was considered a success. “I thought it was fabulous,” drama director Mrs. Fran Young commented, “everyone did a fantastic job.”