One Act brings Greek tragedy to prom

“What’s her cheer? Woe, woe, woe!” Greek myth and modern life collide as this year’s one act play, As If Cassandra, gets into full swing. A modern take on the Greek myth of Cassandra, the play follows high school senior and cheerleader Cassie as she grapples with haunting premonitions of a tragic prom. She quickly learns that no one believes these visions, doing everything in her power to change her fate.

One Act is competitive, with students competing against other schools in hopes of making it to a state-level competition in November. In addition, the cast performs for the general public, with the shows being held on Nov. 13 and 14. 

Not only does the one act get the chance to perform, but afterwards, a non-competitive talent show is hosted. English teacher and director Lexi Novak takes pride in hosting this, as it’s an opportunity to highlight the uniqueness of each individual student.

“We do our public variety show; there is a really cool talent show that the entire school gets to be a part of,” she said.

While performing for friends and peers provides a chance to showcase their hard work, students also gain recognition through competitions. After last year’s One Act, Pearl, made it to state, junior Julien Morris hopes to make the trip once again.

“Hopefully, we will make it to State again. State was really fun last year,” he said.

Novak also sees how much enjoyment comes from competing. The chance to watch other shows gives students a chance to grow and meet new people.

“The students have made friends across the state and it’s really awesome to see them see each other again.”

With rehearsals starting in September and running through November, actors get the chance to truly bond with each other. Junior Oliver VanThiel appreciates how theater brings people together.

“It’s a really fun environment! I love acting and I love the people,” they said.

Senior Genna Williams feels the same, noting how in working with the ensemble role of cheerleader, everyone supports each other through ups and downs.

“This year, it’s being able to work with my fellow cheerleaders because we have a lot of fun when we work on the cheers,” she said. “We’re very hype like, ‘guys, that was so good.’ It’s a very positive environment in general, not just in ensemble.”

While rehearsals are usually smooth, small issues like trying to learn cheers bring obstacles. While trying to join forces may be difficult, VanThiel feels confident in their castmates.

“I think we as a group of cheerleaders are still struggling with that collaboration part,” they said. “I know with more practice, once we actually get the stuff down, we’ll get there.”

Despite initial hurdles, VanThiel knows that everything will be worthwhile when the chance to perform comes along.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the final product once everything comes together and being able to run through it solidly,” they said. “I also love feeling that pride after a good performance.”

This being her last year, Williams looks forward to making new memories after being a part of productions for three years.

“I’m looking forward to experiencing it because this is my last year with the crew, the fellow seniors, and just everyone,” she said.

While many have been part of the play for several years, senior Audrey Hernet jumped at the opportunity to partake in it for the first time.

“This is my first year doing it, and I have a lot of friends who are part of theater and I wanted to try it out!” she said.

Choosing a play is no easy task, but Novak wanted to explore ensemble work through a traditional Greek chorus. This emphasizes the Greek tragedy side of a play set in the modern day.

“I chose this play because our students do really well with ensemble work. I also really wanted to venture into the world of Greek choruses and how they affect theater,” Novak said.

Overall, Novak is excited to share her student’s efforts with the world.

“People should come see our show, not only because kids worked really hard on it and are super talented, but it is a really fun show to watch and comments on fate and how it affects our world,” she said.

by Chloe Lusvardi

Published October 5, 2026

Oshkosh West Index Volume 123 Issue 1