Daviess County High School’s theatre department, under the direction of Karen Feldhaus, recently achieved a milestone decades in the making. Their performance of The Coloring Book earned first place at the Kentucky Theatre Association’s High School One-Act Play Festival.
The accomplishment earned the program a spot at the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) national competition in Baltimore, Maryland, this spring.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Feldhaus said. “I’ve been in this job since 1996, and I’m a product of this theatre department. This is the first time in 40 years Daviess County has won this competition. It’s a big deal.”
The journey began nearly a year ago when Feldhaus introduced The Coloring Book, a play she said explores themes of self-worth and community through a cast of coloring book animals. Rehearsals began in May, and the students dedicated their summer to preparing for the demanding competition season.
The cast comprises 10 cast members and three crew members, 10 of whom are seniors and three juniors. She said most of them also participate in other activities such as speech teams and musicals. Despite their packed schedules, they delivered a performance that surprised even Feldhaus.
“I was completely flabbergasted when they called our name,” she said. “The kids were screaming, I was crying — it felt so vindicating.”
The victory qualifies Daviess County High School to represent Kentucky at the SETC national festival, scheduled for March 19-23. The event will feature workshops with professional actors and directors, opportunities to connect with college programs, and the opportunity to experience theatre from across the country.
She said the logistics of traveling to Baltimore will present challenges and anticipates significant fundraising efforts to cover expenses for the nearly weeklong trip.
“The kids are going to be exposed to so much great theatre and so many learning opportunities,” Feldhaus said. “It’s going to be an incredible experience.”
Before heading to nationals, the group will perform The Coloring Book at local elementary schools and take a brief break to focus on other school activities. In preparation for nationals, they plan periodic rehearsals to refine their performance.
“This is a special group of kids,” Feldhaus said. “I’ve been working with most of them since they were freshmen, and I’m so glad I got to share this experience with them.”
Feldhaus expressed gratitude for the support of school and district administrators, including Principal Matt Wethington.
“The kids feel so seen right now, and that’s the best part of this whole experience,” she said.
The Daviess County community can expect updates as the team prepares for their journey to Baltimore.
