Huntsville, Ala. – The Lee High School Theatre Department is preparing to shine at this weekend’s Trumbauer District Festival after completing two rounds of pre-trial juries in the last two weeks.
This year, approximately 120 Lee Theatre students are competing in a wide range of categories, including solo and duet musical and acting, group acting, group musical, stage management, props, puppetry, lighting, sound, and costume design.
During the juries, students performed and presented their work before a panel of respected theatre professionals who provided feedback and encouragement ahead of competition weekend.
Performance judges included Amy Patel, director and theatre educator formerly at James Clemens High School; Sam Torres of the Virginia Samford Theatre in Birmingham, an accomplished actor, singer, playwright, and director; and Marc Raby, director, playwright, and executive director of Encore Theatre & Gallery—Birmingham’s only Black brick-and-mortar theatre.
Technical theatre categories were evaluated by Denise Lee, Dillion Lee, Darcy Duus (costuming), Bakari Prigg (lighting designer and puppetry specialist with IATSE at the Von Braun Center), and Kendra Kizer (stage management, Fantasy Playhouse).
The pre-trial juries served as a valuable opportunity for students to refine their performances and designs under professional guidance, reinforcing Lee Theatre’s commitment to both artistic excellence and hands-on learning.
As the department heads into the Trumbauer competition, the excitement and pride are palpable—another testament to the strength and dedication of Lee’s performing arts program.