ROCKPORT — Camden Hills Regional High School will be hosting a Regional Drama Festival (sometimes called The One Acts), March 6 - 7, in the Strom Auditorium, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Association in cooperation with the Maine Drama Council.

Although the Drama Festival serves as a selection process by which “championship” schools are chosen, the primary purpose of the competition is to encourage high school theater and to give dedicated young performers the opportunity to see the best work of others who have the passion for the stage.

Schools from Class A (over 500 students) and Class B (less than 500 students) compete at nine Regional Festivals on March 6 - 7 for the honor of advancing to the State Finals to be held March 20-21. The Class A Finals will be hosted by Falmouth High School, and Oceanside High School will be hosting the Class B Finals.

One school from each class (typically the Class A and Class B winners) may advance to the New England Drama Festival, April 16 - 18, at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland, Vermont, hosted by Rutland High School.

All shows in the festival are required to run no longer than 40 minutes. Each school is also allotted 5 minutes to set up their show on stage, and 5 minutes to strike their set at the end.

The CHRHS entry into this year’s festival is an original work by student Jan Low entitled A Matter of Heritage. There will be two public performances of this show, February 28 and March 4, at 7 p.m., in the Strom Auditorium. Tickets are $5 and are available at the door. You may also see the play on the March 7, at 6:15 p.m., as part of the Regional Drama Festival.

This highly entertaining farce, set in 17th century Poland, is about three sisters trying to secure their inheritance and features Svea Delevett, Robyn Walker-Spencer, Julianna Day, Elaine Landry, Katharine Kemper, Andi Hammond, Kyle Hicks, Tanner Castellano, Alice Moskovitz, Isabella Kinney, Emma Jordan, Bradlee Watts, Joshua Kohlstrom.

The show is directed by Jan Low and he has also designed the costumes. Thia Allen designed the set and the set was painted by her and Lili Nelson. Jasper Berryman-Moore is the Stage Manager, Oliver Worner designed the lighting, and the sound (featuring Kat O’Brien on the violin) was designed by Elias Porter. Hair and make-up is by Andi Hammond, Elaine Landry and Emma Jordan. The running crew includes Cyndal Emerson, Marika Gronos, Luke Nappa and Molly Simmons.

The entire schedule for the Festival weekend is below. All the Regional and State competitions are open to the public.

Tickets are available at the door, adults are $10, seniors/students are $5. Each group of shows requires a ticket.