The Owen-Withee Theater Department is once again attempting a challenging piece for their one-act play entry in the Wisconsin High School Theatre Festival with Edgar Lee Master's "Spoon River Anthology."

The play is set in Spoon River, a fictitious town in Illinois. As a series of free-verse poems written about lives gone by, the piece consists of postmortem autobiographical "epitaph." Music is interspersed throughout the play, adding to the depth of feeling presented by the many talented actors.

The first performance was Oct. 5 at Eau Claire Regis High School. At this subdistrict festival, a judge, who offered suggestions for improvements, critiqued the play. She was pleased with the strong ensemble work, as well as the music: "A wonderful and difficult choice; very complex in many ways."

The play was next performed Oct. 19, again at Regis in Eau Claire, where it earned advance ratings from all three judges to go to Sectional competition Nov. 5 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Some comments were "a lovely production; captivating; simply beautiful feeling start to finish." The production earned three more advance ratings at Sectionals, sending it to state competition to be held in Whitewater from Nov. 19 to 21.

Before the state competition, the play is being performed at Owen-Withee High at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The cost of admission is $1. The Owen-Withee Student Council will provide a spaghetti dinner theater prior to Saturday evening's production. For more information on dinner theater tickets, call the school at 715-229-2151.

Appearing in this production are Valerie Niemi, Tiffany Flyte, Aleyna Goerlitz, Sam Maki, Tim Gelhaus, Katherine Gokey, Emily Heggemeier, Kelsey Miller, Katie Pogodzinski, Allison Truman, Chandra Pecha, Emily Gokey, Amy Junk, Jeff Conger and Tim Jiles. Kate Eloranta, Johanna Goerlitz and Allison Truman provide musical accompaniment. The stage manager is Dustin Flyte, assisted by Tiffany Heggemeier. Lizzy Bourdon serves as director's assistant. Ryan Bakke and Keith Cizik are running lights; Brittany Peterson is the photographer; and Stephanie Peterson, Sam Pecha and Kristja Vittallo are working on costumes.

The play is directed by Jeffer Scheuer and Julie Van Ark. Mary Meyer is set designer, and costumes were coordinated by Loralee Peterson.

Last year's one-act play, "I Never Saw another Butterfly," earned great ratings at state, coming home with a Director's Award, an Ensemble Acting Award and a coveted Critic's Choice Award. The Owen-Withee Theater Department is aiming high again this year, with hopes to bring back more plaques for the wall in the lobby.

"Spoon River Anthology" is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc.