Seniors Emma Harris and Kenli Sumner attended the State theatrical design contest last week in Austin. Harris became state champion in the costume design contest making Lindale the back-to-back state champs in costume design.

“I am so unbelievably proud of our students’ accomplishments,” sponsor Rebecca Harrison said. “Both kids that competed for Lindale put in an amazing amount of hard work and dedication.”

This year the students competed in four different categories covering the play ‘Frankenstein’ which can be competed in individual or as a group. Both students who advanced to state individually competed in the costume design category.

“I’m kind of in shock still,” Harris said. “The whole time I was competing for the joy of art and design. Obviously I wanted to do my best and push myself, but I never expected to come out on the very top.”

During their time at state, the students had a period of time to verify that their work met the qualifications of the competition and make repairs to any part of the works after they were mailed to Austin. 

“Emma had a rock solid, creative concept of setting the play ‘Frankenstein,’ adapted to the 1920s and making Victor Frankenstein’s creature female,” Harrison said. “I feel that these strong connections, creative viewpoint and excellent artistry set her above the competition.”

At state, students presented to the judge with a 90 second explanation of their themes and connections between the script and designs as well as a 90 second Q&A with the judge. 

“Diversity has always been huge in theater, and I wanted to create these designs that were aesthetically beautiful, complicated, and relatable no matter who you were,” Harris said. “In ‘Frankenstein,’ the creature is composed of the body parts of many, many people, and I think that this was the author’s way of implying that anyone and everyone could be in that role as the sort of underdog antihero.”

Division 1 Costume Design had the most competition at 31 state competitors.  

“Both students being in the top 31 designs in the state is an amazing accomplishment,” Harris said.