RRHS takes silver at NMAA One-Act Production Championship

RIO RANCHO — The crowd rose to their feet, hands clapping vigorously, shouting their praises as the final curtain fell.

With that, the 2024 NMAA One Act Production Championship drew to a close and the awards were presented Nov. 16. The larger schools were in the “Athens Division,” while smaller schools competed in the “Sparta Division.” The top three troupes in each division were awarded.

This year’s competition was hosted by Rio Rancho High School and organized by NM Educational Theatre Association Co-Chairs Gael Natal and Melissa Souers. Natal is also the RRHS drama director.

Piedra Vista took the top spot in the Athens Division this year with their production of “The Yellow Boat” by David Saar.

Rio Rancho High School’s theater troupe took the silver medal with their performance of “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory. This award-winning play is the true story of the female laborers who were poisoned by their factories’ radium-based paint in the early half of the 20th century.

Cleveland High School performed “We Are the Sea,” a tale of immigrant hardship by Irish playwright Laura Ludgren Smith.

Las Cruces’ Organ Mountain took bronze in the Athens Division.

In the Sparta Division, Oak Grove Academy got gold; Texico High School nabbed silver; Aztec high School grabbed bronze.

The NMAA began the One Act Production in 2016. Due to growing popularity and interest from schools around the state, in 2023, the NMAA began hosting two One Act Production competitions annually: fall and spring.

In the 2023 fall competition, RRHS took first place and Cleveland took second.

Next up, however, both RRHS and CHS are looking forward to their spring productions.

Rio Rancho will be putting on “The SpongeBob Musical” April 10-12.

2024 NMAA One Act Production Championship — FallATHENS DIVISION RESULTS

1. Piedra Vista

2. Rio Rancho

3. Organ Mountain

SPARTA DIVISION RESULTS

1. Oak Grove

2. Texico

3. Aztec