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Kaelei Whitlatch

Hi, I'm Kaelei and I'm a senior at Southmoreland. I'm a member of National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Concert Band, Show Choir, Highlander Choir, Musical Arts, Music Theatre club, The Future is Mine, Random Acts of Kindness, and Journalism. I love to play clarinet, write, and perform on stage. I plan to attend Robert Morris University with a major in Communications.

Latest posts by Kaelei Whitlatch (see all)

• Fox enjoying successful music career by ‘Chance’ - May 3, 2019
• Greenawalt attending state music education program - April 5, 2019
• Price, King earn full scholarships to ‘dream schools’ - April 1, 2019

Front row, from left: Jordynn Brown, Morgan Conty, Toni Brayo, Haley Kolar, Cole Leasher, Melanie Gillott, Kaelei Whitlatch, Jessica Hunt.
Back row, from left: Kaitlyn Keefer, Jessica Bowser, Ashley Vanorsdale, Jennifer Firestone, Grace Vivio, Caroline Bailey, Hayley Robbins, Mindy Wagner.

The O’Reilly Theater in Pittsburgh was the home of performances by nearly 1,300 students from across Pennsylvania competing in the Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest. Sixteen of those performances were from Southmoreland musical arts students, acting out characters such as Romeo from Romeo and Juliet, Helena from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Jaques from As You Like It. 

Southmoreland senior Jessica Hunt was the first performer of the day, portraying Benedick from The Merchant of Venice.

“I find it easy to memorize monologues, so I decided, why not try it competitively?” Hunt said. “I was nervous while introducing myself, but once I started, it felt like I was my character. His words were mine. It didn’t feel like (I was) reciting at all.”

Many of the performers were also involved in the school play last year, so these students already felt comfortable with being on the stage. But this was a new experience to junior Jordynn Brown.

“I had never really done anything like that before,” Brown said. “I didn’t wanna shy away from it, so I decided to take it seriously and try my best to learn my lines and take the step to actually perform it.”

Brown said that despite her lack of experience, she felt her performance was comparable to those who had performed priorly.

“I felt a little less experienced than the rest, considering I haven’t been a part of the play,” Brown said. “But I felt like I did just as well.”

Melanie Gillott, a Southmoreland junior, believes this was one of the hardest theatrical endeavors she has gone through.

“After I graduate, I want to be a performer. Shakespeare isn’t easy,” Gillott said. “This was a great way to challenge myself. If I can do Shakespeare, I’ve basically proven to myself that I can play any role.”

Southmoreland junior Morgan Conty cites her acting experience as a factor in even doing the competition.

“From being in play for the past two years and having prior theater experience, I didn’t think it would be too difficult for me to push myself to get more acting experience on stage,” Conty said.

Since it is junior Grace Vivio’s first year performing in the school play, she thought this would be a great way to get experience before the play in April.

“I could feel the euphoria of relief after (performing) and the stress was ebbing away,” Vivio said. “I would definitely do it again if I had a chance. It was an amazing experience.”

All of the performers agreed, including first-time performer junior Ashley Vanorsdale.

“I wanted to try something new and get out of my comfort zone. I wanted show people that I can (perform),” Vanorsdale said. “After performing, I was so relieved that I got it done. I was so excited because I felt I did well.”

Being in front of a panel of judges was nerve-wracking for the performers, even Haley Kolar, a junior.

“I was absolutely nervous. But once I looked at the rest of the group, I knew I had a great group of people and friends to watch me,” Kolar said. “As soon as I started my monologue, my mind blurred out the judges and I was fine.”

When the day was over, the students felt accomplished. They celebrated by getting dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe in Station Square and buying coffee and treats from Crazy Mocha.

Gillott was very thankful to be given such an opportunity.

“I felt like I had accomplished something and that my hard work that I put into the monologue had paid off. If I was given the opportunity again, I would definitely would want to go,” Gillott said. “I would also encourage more people to take musical arts and do the competition next year as well.”

Senior Kaitlyn Keefer agreed.
“I thought that the Shakespeare contest would be a great way for me to step out of my bubble and try something new,” Keefer said. “I showed myself that I could do something I never thought was possible.”