East High School Theatre Program Secures Multiple Wins at State Competition

Madison East High School’s theatre team, the "Eastside Players,” took home several awards at the 2024 Wisconsin Interscholastic Speech and Dramatic Arts Festival.

The team’s production of playwright Tim Kelly’s one-act, Country Gothic, received the festival’s top prize, the Critic’s Choice Award. The group also received awards for outstanding ensemble, outstanding technical theatre, outstanding directing and outstanding actor (both Ana McCallum-Moore and Marcus McCaleb).

“East’s theatre teacher, Paul Milisch, has continued to grow the school’s program into one recognized across the state as a leader in performing arts,” said Dan Davidson, MMSD’s director of arts education. “We are proud of the hard work, dedication and extraordinary level of learning and performance taking place at East, and offer everyone involved in this year’s production a heartfelt congratulations on their success!”

More than 1,800 student-competitors from high schools across the state participated in this year’s competition, which recently took place at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts In total, there were 43 one-act performances spread across the festival’s three days.

“Advancing to the state competition is a tremendous accomplishment in and of itself,” said Paul Milisch, East High’s theatre instructor and director of this year’s performance. “The dedication, perseverance and commitment that our team poured into this production served to make our entire East High community proud, and it was my great privilege to have been along for the ride.”

Research shows that, in the context of K–12 education, participation in the arts translates to improved academic performance, benefits social and emotional development and fosters senses of inclusion and belonging.  

The full roster of the Eastside Players is composed of the following East High students: