FREEPORT — The Yarmouth High School drama team won its sixth state championship since 2000 on Saturday at the Class B Maine Drama Festival.

“It was just enjoyable experience,” YHS drama director Betsy Puelle said Monday. “(The students) totally took ownership of the play. They were super wonderful to work with this year. It’s a great team and they’re very deserving of all the success.”

Bangor High School won the Class A title on Sunday in Camden; Falmouth High School finished third in the Class A competition.

The Yarmouth troupe performed a one-act version of “Secret in the Wings,” a play by Mary Zimmerman about an obscure fairy tale where a young girl is left alone in her parent’s basement with an ogre, who tries to convince her he is just an ordinary neighbor.

As the drama unfolds, the ogre, with his reptilian tail, begins telling stories to the girl as the characters come alive out of the set, Puelle said.

“(Zimmerman) tries to present (the fairy tales) in unique ways through song, dance, drama and choral reading,” she said. “(The characters) start coming out of little doors, the washing machine, a little crack in the wall. It’s pretty grand for a 37-minute play.”

Several Yarmouth students also won All-Festival individual or ensemble awards: Jack Clayton, Nicole Hoehle, Harry Munroe, James Erwin, Elu Puelle, Carrie Adams, Amelia French, and Maddy Whittemore.

As the state champs, the Yarmouth team had the option to next perform the play at the upcoming, non-competitive New England Drama Festival in Rhode Island. But Puelle said too many of her students are travelling internationally.

Puelle also said a large chunk of the Yarmouth students are seniors who are graduating.

“It’s a loss to the program,” she said, noting that she chose a play with a large cast this year to give some of the underclasssmen the experience. “We’re super proud of them. They were a particularly wonderful group of kids this year.”

Will Graff can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or wgraff@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @W_C_Graff.

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Yarmouth High School students perform “Secret in the Wings” at the Maine Drama Festival on Saturday, March 23. Students from left to right are Annie ONeill, Eli Puelle, Samantha Mangino, Karl Munroe, Matt Truesdale, Even Laukli, Jackson Ruprecht and Jack Clayton.

Maine Drama Festival Class A results

1 — Bangor
2 — Oceanside
3 — Falmouth
4 — Westbrook
5 — Belfast
6 — Morse
7 — Thornton Academy (DSQ)
8 — Skowhegan
9 — Fryeburg

Maine Drama Festival Class B results

1 — Yarmouth
2 — Hermon
3 — Mount Desert
4 — Fort Kent
Waynflete (Tie)
6 — Greater Portland Christian
7 — Catherine McAuley
8 — Lincoln Academy
9 — Madison

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