SAA Theatre Students Win GHSA Class 2AA One-Act Play State Championship

Savannah Arts Academy was named Class 2AA State Champions after competing in the GHSA One-Act Play Competition on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AA One Act Play competition is a regional and state-level event where high schools perform a fully staged play within a 55-minute time limit.

The SAA Theatre Department presented a poignant and visually striking production of The Seagull by Anton Chekhov. This recognition celebrates the remarkable talent, discipline, and creative excellence demonstrated by the school’s student performers and technicians.

In addition to the overall win, several Savannah Arts Academy students received top honors at the state level. The individual recognitions included:

·       Best Actor – Tyler Shaw (Senior)

·       All-Star Cast – Asa Clark (Junior)

·       All-Star Cast – Edward Austin Bradford (Senior)

The state-level competition took place at East Georgia State College in Swainsboro, GA.

About the Play

Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull is a cornerstone of modern theatre, blending humor and melancholy in a story of unrequited love, artistic ambition, and the yearning for significance. Set on a country estate in Russia, the play centers around the struggles of young writer Konstantin, the idealistic actress Nina, and the renowned but self-involved Arkadina. Through intersecting relationships and emotional upheavals, The Seagull examines the human desire for validation, the pain of unrealized dreams, and the generational conflicts that shape our search for purpose.

The Savannah Arts Academy students and faculty involved in the production are as follows:

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Cast

MASHA – Cora Smith (Junior) 

MEDVEDENKO – Trey Wilner (Junior)

KONSTANTIN – Tyler Shaw (Senior)

SORIN – Carson Penton (Senior)

NINA – Hanna Richmond (Junior)

PAULINA – Katie Grace Lanier (Senior)

DORN – Edward Austin Bradford (Senior)

ARKADINA – Asa Clark (Junior)

SHAMRAYEV – Jonah Rendon (Junior)

TRIGORIN – Desmond Chaney (Senior)

YAKOV – Sam Bareford (Freshman)

THE COOK – Ella Nixon (Freshman)

THE MAID – Krisily Waytas (Freshman)

Ensemble of Country Servants and Workers

Lead Puppeteers / Ensemble:

Carmen Titus (Senior), Georgia Mensing (Junior)

Ensemble:

Cali Berry (Freshman), William Blake (Freshman), Henry Briscoe (Junior), Levon Brown (Sophomore), Rivi Daneman (Freshman), Gabriella Gonzales (Junior), Bianca Hernandez (Junior), Annelise McGraw (Junior), Avonlie Michael (Freshman), Hailey Morris (Junior), Bea Newell-Stivers (Freshman), Benjamin Odom (Sophomore), Levi Payne (Junior), Lily Robertson (Junior), Angel Williams (Junior)

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Production & Technical Team

Director / Designer (Faculty): David I. L. Poole

Production Coordinator / Technical Director (Faculty): Hannah Glass

Stage Management Team: Henry Briscoe (Junior), Bianca Hernandez (Junior)

Wardrobe: Lily Robertson (Junior)

Lighting: Luke Varner (Senior)

Sound: Violet Youngblood-Carson (Junior)

Music Compositions: Angel Williams (Junior)