Falcons, Spartans script successful state play production moments

January 9, 2026

High school students from Northwest and East created theatrical highlights this winter with their state play production performances.
 
Both Lincoln Public Schools teams finished in the top five spots at this year’s Class A contest. The Spartans captured third place with their performance of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” and the Falcons finished fifth with their presentation of the Euripides classic “Hecuba” on stage.
 
Directors Helen Cooper and Samm Hanks guided students during the season. Cooper led East to the school’s fifth straight state appearance, and Hanks helped Northwest qualify for state for the third consecutive year. The Falcons also won their second straight Class A Outstanding Technical Crew honor.
 
Northwest
Cade Chiles and August Chadd helped the Falcons finish first in technical crew standings with their leadership skills. They received the two Class A Outstanding Technical Crew Member Awards for their stage and audiovisual work.
 
“I think the part about being involved in Lincoln Northwest’s play production that I enjoy the most is the satisfaction of seeing everyone’s hard work put together in such a beautiful way,” said Chadd, who served as hair and makeup crew chief. “Especially being someone that does work backstage and in the dressing rooms, I feel very proud of all of the cast and crew for what they’ve all brought onto the stage and atmosphere. It’s very rewarding to see all of the long nights transform into such a fantastic production.”

 
Chiles and Chadd were among 26 Falcons who were on this year’s technical crew. Other members of the state championship group included Elsa Bates, Jayden Bedea, Daeden Buresh, Elli Einspahr, Crist Geswein, Xavier Hamilton, Brady Henn, Delanie Hulit, Emily Keifer, Lilly Keifer, Mesa Koertje, Colby Lovelace, Sajjad Mahdi, Karen Mendoza, Addie Naviaux, Brian Parnell, Roslynn Provance, Harrison Quy, M’Kenzi Simon, Cameron Stockton, Elijah Sulzle, Regan Swedlund, Brayden Wasserburger and Natalie Williams. Jenna Williamson served as the performance’s technical director.

 
Northwest also received applause-worthy efforts from 35 cast members. Amelia Coughlin, who earned an Outstanding Performer Award at the District A-1 Meet, said the Falcons enjoyed rehearsing and competing together. She performed the title role of Hecuba in this year’s one-act play.
 
“My favorite thing about being a part of my school’s one-act was definitely going to competitions and competing on stage,” Coughlin said. “This year, we had a lot of drive and an important message to convey. Being able to show the audience and judges our hard work was definitely rewarding, and I loved performing on stage with my castmates. Even when I was nervous or anxious, that sense of camaraderie fueled me to perform to the best of my ability.”

 
Chadd said it was rewarding to spend time with teammates like Naviaux, who was the assistant hair and makeup crew chief. The senior said the activity’s fast-paced nature offered many life lessons.
 
“I think those experiences have shaped me into a better person,” Chadd said. “There have been many times where I thought we wouldn’t complete someone’s costume or makeup in time, but we always powered through and had the help of the hair and makeup crew along with the directors.”
 
Coughlin said playing Hecuba challenged her to reach outside her comfort zone. She portrayed the complex emotions of a mother suffering intense loss, which gave her a chance to grow both as an actress and a person.
 
“I learned to allow myself to be vulnerable on stage at a level that I’d never strived for before,” Coughlin said. “While it was definitely a challenge, being able to connect with my character and the audience on a deeper level was extremely fulfilling. The themes of this show also pushed me to reflect on the importance of morality and empathy, teaching me the repercussions of injustice and showing me that grief can be transformative and complex.”

 
Chadd said the Falcons could feel good about their work during the program’s three-year state run.
 
“I am very proud of our theater department and what we’ve been able to accomplish,” Chadd said. “I am thankful to be able to express this to more people.”
 
East
East pocketed third place with strong marks from all three state judges. The Spartans tallied scores of 59, 58 and 57 on a 60-point scale for their presentation.

 
Myles Hardt felt the team’s close-knit nature made the season successful. The senior performed the lead role of Peter on stage. He was part of a veteran roster that featured 28 cast members and 14 crew members.
 
“What I enjoyed most about being part of the play production team was the people,” Hardt said. “Everyone is so driven, hardworking and supportive of each other, which creates an amazing environment that promotes growth and just a really good time.”

 
“Peter and the Starcatcher” is a prequel to the familiar story of Peter Pan. The Spartans delivered their narrative about a young orphan who sails from Victorian Britain to a distant island.
 
Hardt said he learned the value of work ethic from playing Peter. He and other castmates spent many hours memorizing lines, drilling scenes and discovering how best to convey emotions of their characters. Their practice sessions paid off in both individual and group ways.
 
“I poured more time and energy into the role of Peter than I have for any role before, and it was a challenge,” Hardt said. “But I really felt that I was able to connect to the character on a deeper level than I’ve connected with characters in the past.”
 
The Spartans scripted their latest stateworthy story this season. Many sophomores, juniors and seniors had booked previous trips to Norfolk’s Johnny Carson Theater in their careers, and they were eager to follow a similar storyline in 2025. East finished second in Class A in 2024, fifth in 2023, fourth in 2022 and sixth in 2021.

Class A State Play Production Results

Gretna East 180 points, Gretna 178, Lincoln East 174, Malcolm 173, Lincoln Northwest 170, Fremont 168

Class A State Technical Crew Scores

Lincoln Northwest 58, Gretna East 57, Gretna 57, Lincoln East 56, Malcolm 53, Fremont 52

Lincoln East State Play Production Cast Members

Peter: Myles Hardt
Molly: Claire Rooney
Lord Aster: Hayden Mitchell
Prentiss: Sloan Donahoo
Teddy: Winter Guardiola
Black Stache: Gavin Foust
Mrs. Bumbrake: Ava Swank
Alf: Wade Combs
Smee: Washburn Hoffman
Slank: Aubrey Christensen
Grempkin: Cora Tinsley
Mack: Margeaux Allen
Narrator/Wasp Crew: Jilliana Venema, Lena Kathol, Juho Kim, Cora Thompson
Narrator/Neverland Crew: Pearl DeLong, Christian Paulsen
Teacher: Elizabeth Elitzin
Narrator/Mermaid: Alyssa Zimmerman, Alexandria Hansen, Kaelyn Livers, Brooklyn Ellenbecker, Liv Jarnagin
Fighting Prawn: Ethan Phan
Hawking Clam: Alister Murtagh
Narrator/Mollusk: Britton Fast, Evelyn Ockander

Lincoln East State Play Production Crew Members

Emily ByBee, Aydin Colberg, Lainey Kaufhold, Drew Lafferty, Jake Lenz, Melinda Lierz, Rawand Mohammed, Axol Nguyen, Cinae Schneider, Hazel Silva, Mimi Strong, Jordan Uglow, James Wilksen, Jerrica Zhang

Lincoln Northwest State Play Production Cast Members

Polydorus: Nicholas Niedbalski
Therapaina: Amelia Proffitt
Handmaiden 1: Lindsey Morris
Handmaiden 2: Emmy McInteer
Handmaiden 3: Lilly Rector
Handmaiden 4: Liv Butters
Handmaiden 5: Bianca Vannier
Handmaiden 6: Avery Hollman
Chorus: Sierra Albers, Hana Baranovicova, Adjoua Boko, Delaney Dubbs, Kendahl Hardwick, Finley Maly, Emily Paffrath, Cara Wesley, Nevaeh Worth
Chorus/Secondary Percussion: Bailey Petersen, Olivia Solodovnik
Hecuba: Amelia Coughlin
Andromache: Izzy Butters
Polyxena: Cassandra Colgrove
Odysseus/Secondary Percussion: Gabe Dick
Soldier: Jaxon Archer, Ben Hershberger, Jude Moats-Kile, Trystan Perdue-Juarez
Soldier/Secondary Percussion: Samuel Sulzle
Talthybius: Zayne Riggert
Agamemnon: Nicholas Bousek
Polymestor: Jonah Hagge
Deipylus: Lincoln Lappe
Admetus: Finn Carter
Primary Percussion: Owen Kloepping, Caden Placek

Lincoln Northwest State Play Production Crew Members

Elsa Bates, Jayden Bedea, Daeden Buresh, August Chadd, Cade Chiles, Elli Einspahr, Crist Geswein, Xavier Hamilton, Brady Henn, Delanie Hulit, Emily Keifer, Lilly Keifer, Mesa Koertje, Colby Lovelace, Sajjad Mahdi, Karen Mendoza, Addie Naviaux, Brian Parnell, Roslynn Provance, Harrison Quy, M’Kenzi Simon, Cameron Stockton, Elijah Sulzle, Regan Swedlund, Brayden Wasserburger, Natalie Williams
 
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