A dramatic change

Tiger Theatre Company pulls off a last-minute show change

Story by Kateleigh Crowson, copy editor

March 13, 2025

Junior Ethan Collinsworth, playing Curley, stands on stage as he intimidates Lennie in the play, “Of Mice and Men”. Just two weeks before their UIL One Act Play competition on March 14, 2025, the Tiger Theatre Company switched shows to “Peter and the Starcatcher”.

In a curveball that no one expected to see, the Tiger Theatre Company faced a major change just two weeks before their annual UIL One Act Play Competition. After almost two months of intense preparation and rehearsals, the cast and crew of Of Mice and Men received the news that they no longer obtained the rights to perform the cut version of their show.

Given the fact that the competition would be held soon, Tiger Theatre Company faced an incredibly challenging decision; will they bail out or find another show? Due to all of the heart and passion that went into their previous production, they made the choice that this wouldn’t be the end of their One Act Season, and they decided to take on a new production, Peter And The Starcatcher.

“Well, the change was very unexpected, and I put a lot of character work into my character in Of Mice and Men,” senior Justin Gentry said. “It’s not easy to develop a character, so the sudden change kind of made me sad. However, it prepares me for college and going into acting, so that part is good.”

Despite the shock and unexpected change that the students went through, everyone involved in the creation of the new show rallied. Rehearsals went from four hours to twelve, scripts stayed in their hands, observed thoroughly, and actors frantically tried to remember their lines, blocking, and cues.

“The rehearsal process has been good,” sophomore Payton Shuman said. “We’ve been having really long rehearsals and the shows coming together, but we still have a week left [to prepare everything].”

Although the rehearsal schedule proves to be much shorter than those of other schools, the cast of Peter And The Starcatcher remains hopeful for a successful competition experience.

“Since other schools have had three months of preparing their shows and we will only have two weeks to prepare ourselves, we’re taking competition with a grain of salt,” Gentry said. “We still want to win in advance, but if that doesn’t happen, it’s completely okay. We just want to go and have fun.”

The competition will be held on March 14, 2025, in Tyler, Texas. Students and directors look forward to the competition, and long to achieve success.

“I really hope that we get a few awards,” Shuman said. “We compete next Thursday and Friday, and I feel like the show is going to be really good.”

About the Contributor

Kateleigh Crowson, copy editor

Kateleigh Crowson is returning to the THS Publications staff for her second year as the Copy Editor for Tiger Times Online. You can find Crowson with a smile on her face, a script in her hand, and headphones that are most likely blasting some sort of Musical Theatre song. Crowson is very involved in theater, not only at Texas High where she runs all of the social media and marketing, but she is also an active participant in Silvermoon Children’s Theatre. If you ever see her frantically refreshing her email, she is probably waiting for a cast list. Crowson is also an officer for THS Rosebuds, and she is a member of NHS, StuCo, TAFE, Mu Alpha Theta, and International Thespian Society. In the future, Crowson aspires to attend Texas A&M University in College Station, on the track to become an Occupational Therapist. Crowson cannot wait to see what the year brings, and she is stoked to spend another year in room 50B!