OLCHS Theater Programs Clinches 2 IHSA State Championships

OAK LAWN, IL — Oak Lawn Community High School’s storied Theater Program racked up two state championships in drama and group interpretation. The IHSA state finals were held this past weekend at Reavis High School in Burbank.

Led by coaches TJ Kahriman, Annie Truffa, Bob Beland, Mike Olsson, Tim Sipple, Matt Capriola, and Erika Johnson, this marks the second time in school history that the Spartans have won both drama and group interpretation in the same year, a feat only accomplished four times in the IHSA history of drama/group interpretation. Both drama and group interpretation were sectional champions this year. This is the 7th state championship for drama and the 7th state championship for group interpretation, who also won in 2019, making this a pandemic back-to-back win.

The drama production of The Insanity of Mary Girard included student actors Jada Jackson (All-State Cast), Daniel McLawhorn, Jake Majerczyk (All-State Cast), Grace Sievers, James Walsh, Emma Mathews, Tori Prause, and Edward Quinn Haywood. Crew members included Haven Rupsch, Abigail Sodaro, Joyce Reising, Michael Reising, Maggie Hernandez, Olha Huska, Monica Nowak, Jenny Granados and Matthew Perry.

The group Interpretation of Solutions and Other Problems included student performers Emma O’Malley Galvan (All-State Cast), Omar Alqazaq (All-State Cast), Alondra Camacho, Layla Nemri, Ella Moore (All-State Cast), Hailey Rabideaux, Emma Faucault-Miller, Maya Quinonez, and Orlando Ramirez.

~ Contributed by Jennifer Jepsen, OLCHS Staff Writer