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

DATE: TUESDAY, February 8, 1994                   TAG: 9402080253
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium

PULASKI PLAYERS DEFEAT ADVERSITY

As usual, they overcame a number of obstacles in doing it.

``We're continuing with our trials and tribulations, but we're used to that,'' said Rhonda Welsh, the drama teacher who directed the entry. ``It was nice to have all three judges in total agreement.''

The frequent school closings because of weather had already played havoc with their rehearsal schedule, for what was an unusually difficult play to do - an adaptation of Franz Kafka's multi-layered story ``Metamorphosis.''

Then, after their sole public performance at the school Friday night, after they had loaded all their equipment in a van, the vehicle died. They were supposed to leave early the next morning for the competition.

Harry DeHaven and Ronnie Nichols with the school system and Ralph Phillips, a mechanic, worked until 2 a.m. Saturday before they got the van going again.

``As it was, we had to leave at 6 a.m.,'' said Welsh.

When the students got to Cave Spring, they found the building locked but located a janitor who let them in. It was a good thing he did, because they found the school's theater had not been cleared of equipment from its last use and they had to do that.

Then they were told that their presentation had been bumped back an hour from the original schedule, to 8:30 a.m.

They not only got through their performance in the time allowed, but the Pulaski County students working with lights and other technical equipment provided assistance to other schools. ``And that just made for a really nice atmosphere,'' Welsh said.

By the time the judges announced the top-rated plays, she said, her students were nearly worn out.

``We clapped politely. We were too tired to do anything else,'' she said. The attitude was ``We'll be happy later.''

Later could be May 19, when they take the play on to regional competition at Albemarle County High School in Charlottesville.