Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 8, 1994                   TAG: 9403080176
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI HIGH SCHOOL TROUPE WINS 2ND PLACE IN STATE

They not only placed second in competition with about125 schools competing Monday at the University of Virginia, but Pulaski students took three of the eight acting awards given by judges.

The awards went to Aaron Parks, April Corvin and Mark Dye, who was cited in particular for his facial expressiveness. Parks and Corvin also won acting awards at district competition.

But the biggest compliment to the cast, crew and director Rhonda Welsh may be the invitations they have gotten to bring their production of Franz Kafka's ``Metamorphosis'' to five other schools.

``We've never really had this kind of attention for one of our shows before,'' said Welsh, who teaches drama at Pulaski County High. Fauquier County High`s English department has offered to pay all expenses if the group would perform there.

Welsh said she asked the teacher from North Stafford High, the school near Charlottesville that won first place, if his group had been getting similar invitations. ``No, but do you think you could come up to North Stafford?'' he responded.

One of the judges said the play should be taken on tour throughout the state because Kafka is seen as a difficult writer by many students. ``This would be a way for students to see Kafka,'' she said.

It is doubtful that any of the invitations can be accepted, because it would mean the participating students would miss school in Pulaski County. But they will take the play to Virginia Beach for the State International Thespian Conference in two weeks.

Welsh said the students managed a first-class production of ``Metamorphosis,'' with complex light and sound arrangements, despite missing three and a half weeks of rehearsal when winter weather closed schools.

Many of the Pulaski students had never seen live plays outside their own, and out-performed others from schools where students had opportunities to go to the Kennedy Center to view performances, Welsh said.