MHS Senior captures multiple acting awards
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Maryville High School senior B.J. Sudhoff won the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri’s (STAM) Outstanding Actor Award for his performance in the one-act play “An Iliad”, which he performed at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) state competition. Sudhoff’s one-man performance in “An Iliad” allowed him to capture fourth place among eight finalists in the one-act play competition at the MSHSAA state competition, held April 24-25 at Missouri State University in Springfield.
Maryville senior B.J. Sudhoff capped off his high school acting career at the Missouri High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) state competition held April 24-25 at Missouri State University in Springfield.
Not only did Sudhoff’s one-act play, “An Iliad” capture fourth place among eight finalists at state competition, Sudhoff’s performance in the play at state competition earned him the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri’s (STAM) highest honor as he was awarded the 2015 Outstanding Actor Award at the MSHSAA state awards assembly, beating out over 150 other actors for the honor.
Sudhoff’s one-act play, “An Iliad”, advanced to the MSHSAA state competition to compete against seven other one-act plays. Each of eight plays were performed for judges on April 24, and the top four were performed again on April 25, with placing announced after the second performance.
“I believe this was the first time in the history of MHS theatre that a one-act play advanced to state competition,” MHS Speech and Debate coach Trudy Kinman said. “This was a special accomplishment because B.J. directed and acted in the one-man show.”
At state competition, Sudhoff competed in the one-act play category with casts of 15-20 students from Liberty, Raymore-Peculiar and Willard. Sudhoff’s presentation of “An Iliad” captured fourth place honors at the state competition, but Kinman said Sudhoff’s one-man performance was not lost on the judges.
“It’s tough to compete against casts of 15-20 students, but the judges were impressed with B.J.’s performance,” Kinman said. “When he got up to receive the fourth place award, he got a standing ovation at the awards assembly.”
However, the best was yet to come for Sudhoff at the state competition awards assembly, as the final honor to be awarded was STAM-sponsored Outstanding Actor Award for 2015. As Sudhoff heard his name announced for the STAM Outstanding Actor Award, the following thoughts went through his head:
“Pretty cool – excited – really nice to receive a standing ovation from my peers and from some the biggest theatre directors in the state,” Sudhoff said.
Sudhoff, son of Doug and Diane Sudhoff, won the award to cap off a very successful high school acting career, which will continue this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where Sudhoff has enrolled to pursue his bachelor of fine arts degree in acting.
Sudhoff’s awards will be on display at the Speech and Debate Night, scheduled at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 in the MHS commons. The public is invited and admission is free.
Now that he’s had time to reflect on his high school acting career, Sudhoff is pleased with how it turned out and the opportunities for future MHS actors.
“I’m pleased with the one-man show, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to direct and act in a one-act play at state competition,” Sudhoff said. “I am looking forward to the added opportunities for young actors and actresses that will be offered when we complete the Performing Arts Center at Maryville High School.”
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B.J. Sudhoff portrays the character “The Poet” in his one-act play presentation of “An Iliad.” The play placed fourth among eight finalists at the Missouri High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) state competition held April 24-25 at Missouri State University in Springfield. For his performance in “An Iliad”, Sudhoff won the 2015 Outstanding Actor Award, presented by the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri (STAM).
