Southland High School students are putting the juvenile detention system under the spotlight beginning next week.

Southland Drama will perform “Juvie” by Jerome McDonough, in this year’s Minnesota High School League State One Act Play competition.

First, however, the one-act play troupe will put on a free performance of “Juvie” beginning at 6 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 18, at high school.

The performance is approximately 35 minutes.

Set in a juvenile detention center holding cell, “Juvie” tells the story of teens who have been arrested on a Friday night. Scared and lonely, the teens tell their stories throughout the night of what they did and why they were caught.

“It is not an uplifting play,” said Southland Drama director Madlain Vander, who describes the play as “Orange is the New Black” meets “The Breakfast Club.”

Vander said she chose it because she wanted to do a play with a purpose.

“There are a lot of silly one-acts out there,” she said. “I like plays to have purpose. (McDonough) did a lot of research for it and wanted to use it as an instrument for civic awareness. It is very raw and real. The stories just break your heart.”

Vander said that the play program accompanying the performance will have background information, facts and statistics about the juvenile justice system.

“Juvie” also has a personal connection for the play’s light designer and operator, Tom Flaherty, who used to work in the juvenile justice system.

“When Tom read the script, he said, ‘I have met every single one of these kids,’” Vander said.

After Thursday’s performance, the cast and crew will head to the Three Rivers Conference meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at Wabasha-Kellogg High School.

“First we compete in a conference meet, then a sub-section through the Minnesota High School League,” Vander said.

The sub-section meet will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, at Rochester Lourdes High School. If Southland qualifies, they will move on to perform in the section competition on Saturday, Feb. 3, at Stewartville High School. The winner of that competition will perform in the Minnesota High School League One Act Play Festival Feb. 8-9 at The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.

For more information about the performance or the competition, contact Vander at 507-440-3060 or email MVander@isd500.k12.mn.us.

Cast (in order of appearance)
Jean……………………………………………Mariah Kiefer

Sunny………………………………………Wyatt Pedersen

Ann……………………………………….Hannah Bergene

Carey………………………………………….Rachel Meany

Skip……………………………………………..Matt Mueller

Pinky…………………………………………..Cortney Espe

Andrew……………………………………………Will Douty

Jane Doe………………………………….Hallie Bergene

Guard 1/Hank………………………..Isaac Himebaugh

Guard 2………………………………….Jack Mullenbach

Sammy/Various…………………………….Alexis Smith

Mother/Various………………….Mikayla Fredrickson

Beth Simms/

Various………………Lohayne Fernandes Vilas Boas

Guard 3/Various…………………………Megan Heimer

Crew
Director/set/costumes………………Madlain Vander

Light design and operator…………….Tom Flaherty

Sound operator/hair/make up…Hannah Howden

Sound dditing/special effects……..Lukas Howard

Costume assistant………………………Dawn Mueller

Production assistant…………………..Dea Pedersen

Photography/graphics..Susan Okima Vickmark-Torkelson

Make up, hair expert consultation Advisor…Marcia Allen