Senate Concurrent Resolution 624

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL'S HIGH TIDE PRODUCTIONS FOR RECEIVING THE AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION AT THE 2014 MISSISSIPPI THEATRE ASSOCIATION STATE COMPETITION.

WHEREAS, High Tide Productions, Picayune Memorial High School's Theatre Troupe, recently received the Dominic

J. Cunetto Award for Best Production at the 2014 Mississippi Theatre Association State Competition, held in Vicksburg. The award, given annually to the top theatre program in the state, entitled HTP to compete at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, held during the first week in March. This year's Southeastern Theatre Conference Festival took place in Mobile, Alabama, at the Arthur C. Outlaw Convention Center; and

WHEREAS, High Tide Productions competed with Property Rites, the story of a young man named Kyle Macmanus, who invests

millions in an artificially intelligent sculpture. The art piece, which consists of 15 animatronic females, begins to come alive, resulting in harrowing consequences for its owner, who is trying to sell it. The play received high marks at the Mississippi Theatre Association Regional Drama Fest in November. Along with advancing to the State Festival, cast member Taylor Danner received the award for Best Actress. The troupe received the Award for Best Ensemble, as well as the Award for Overall Technical Excellence. Noah Frank was named to the All-Star Cast; and

WHEREAS, at the Mississippi Theatre Association State Competition, Taylor Danner again received the Award for Best Actress, and the troupe was awarded the Technical Excellence Plaque. In addition to her acting awards, Taylor Danner was the recipient of the Mississippi Theatre Association College Scholarship, valued at $2,000.00. Daniel Mitchell, playing the role of Kyle, was named to the All-Star Cast. In the Individual Event Competitions, Taylor Danner and Tessa Crump received 2nd and 1st place, respectively, in the Solo Female Musical category, and Alyssa Duffourc received 3rd place in Costume Design category; and

WHEREAS, 2014 was High Tide Productions' second trip to the Southeastern Theatre Conference. They previously were named as Runners-Up in 2013, and performed George Brant's Elephant's Graveyard in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to the opportunity to perform, students were afforded the opportunity to attend workshops and lectures given by some of the country's most celebrated theatrical professionals, as well as audition for college scholarships. Along with Mississippi, the High School Festival featured twenty schools from the States of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Property Rites received high marks from the judges, was well received by the audience, and strongly represented both Picayune and Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, High Tide Productions will be graduating 16 seniors this school year, several of whom will attend local and regional universities and community colleges to further their theatrical careers. At each level of competition, these students were offered the opportunity to audition for college scholarships. To do this, they perform a sixty to ninety second audition, consisting of a monologue and song excerpt. High Tide Productions' juniors and seniors who auditioned earned 104 callbacks. If they choose to attend, typical awards for Theatre majors and minors number anywhere from $5,800.00 to fully funded scholarships. Taylor Danner and Tessa Crump were each awarded $17,000.00 at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, High Tide is proud to represent Picayune and the great State of Mississippi! They recently finished a run of Romeo and Juliet and are currently working on Disney's The Little Mermaid, to be presented in May; and it is with great pride that we pay tribute to these students who have become unofficial ambassadors for the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Picayune Memorial High School's High Tide Productions for receiving the Award for Best Production at the 2014 Mississippi Theatre Association State Competition, and extend the best wishes of the Legislature for success in future competitions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the Director of High Tide Productions and Picayune Principal Kent Kirkland, forwarded to the Board of Trustees of the Picayune School District and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.