It’s OAP season, which means the theatre department is in full swing preparing for competition, which is scheduled for March 9 in Teague. The group has hosted two clinics on-site this year and has attended each to see what they need to do to improve their performance.

“I like having OAP clinics in Buffalo,” junior Tana Cleveland said. “We are able to watch the other plays, which also helps us build our skills as actors.”

Theatre director Jill Henson hired Travis Springfield as the clinician for the first clinic and Phillip Taylor for the President’s Day student holiday. Both gave students pointers on what to improve and focused on those improvements rather than the things that might already be going well.

“I always love having Travis come for the first clinic,” Henson said. “He never sugarcoats, and he’ll set us straight.”

Tech students as well as volunteers from among the actors helped visiting schools unload and set up their lights and sound.

“I liked seeing the different schools put their sets up,” junior Iveth Molina said. “It helped me get the idea of what competitions are going to be like.”

Buffalo performed  their play, Anatomy of Grey, which tells the story of a town that has citizens get sick and die from the water that flows in the town.

“It is great to hear the ideas that different judges have for us with this play,” assistant director Melonie Menefee said. “Ultimately, what to change and how to do it comes down to what Mrs. Henson thinks is best, but I know we all learn a lot from hearing different opinions and ideas.”