Individual District Speech this Saturday

The Pekin Panther Players Speech Team will be competing in the IHSSA district speech competition this Saturday, Feb. 24, at Montezuma High School.

Participating in the competition from Pekin are:

Grades 10-12 participants:

Solo Musical Theatre

Izabella Earnest — Right Hand Man from Something Rotten — Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Kayleigh Adrian — She Used to Be Mine from Waitress — Music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles

Lilian Buie — As Long As He Needs Me from Oliver — Music and lyrics by Lionel Bart

Interpretive Reading, Prose

Izabella Earnest — The Lunch Room — Written by Izabella Earnest

Original Oratory

Alisia Brock — For the Graduates — Written by Alisia Brock

Expository Address

Ayla Banes — The Art of Procrastination

Storytelling

Alisia Brock — Love You Forever — Robert Munsch

Bo Latcham — TBA — Written by J. Esch

Kayleigh Adrian — Where the Wild Things Are — Written by Maurice Sendak

Solo Improvisation

Ayla Banes

Bo Latcham

Ninth Grade Speech Team participants:

Solo Musical Theatre

Brinley Phillips — The History of Wrong Guys from Kinky Boots — Music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper

Michelle Jacobs — Funny Girl from Funny Girl — Music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Bob Merrill

Natalie Hamilton — Lost in the Brass from Band Geeks — Music by Tommy Newman, Gaby Alter, and Mark Allen. Lyrics by Tommy Newman and Gaby Alter

Storytelling

Brinley Phillips — It's Not Hansel and Gretel — Written by Josh Funk

Public Address

Natalie Hamilton — The Lady's Not For Turning — Margaret Thatcher

Those students receiving a Division I rating will advance on to the state competition on Saturday, March 9 at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids.

Pekin Performing Arts will be holding their annual A Night of Theatre fundraiser on Saturday, March 23 beginning at 7 p.m. in the High School Commons/Stage area. Everyone is welcome to come enjoy the dessert bar while watching the Large-Group and Individual Speech performances. Admission is $10/adult, $5/ages 3-12, free/ages 2 and under.