​​KH Players Selected For Missouri State Thespian Conference

KH Players have been selected to perform Middletown at the 2026 Missouri State Thespian Conference on Thursday, January 8, at 7:00 p.m. at the Stifel Theatre in St. Louis.

In October, KHS drama teacher and director Kelly Schnider submitted Middletown for consideration to the Missouri State Thespians. As part of the selection process, three Missouri State Thespian adjudicators visited KHS to review the production. Following that review, the KH Players were invited to serve as the opening night mainstage performance for the conference.

The students will perform for an audience of more than 2,000 high school drama students and teachers from across the state of Missouri, officially kicking off the conference.

The KH Players are led by Director Kelly Schnider, Technical Director Greg Booth, and Costume Designer Mandy Roberts. The cast and crew will transport their sets, costumes, and stage makeup to downtown St. Louis and perform on opening night of the conference.

KH Players Cast of Middletown:
Public Speaker: Alex Gow
Cop: Mason Van Horn
Mrs. Swanson: Sanchan Khanuja
John Dodge: Jace Heigham
Mechanic: Zylon Gillett
Librarian: Sloane Stevens
Tour Guide: Amelia Geneux-Ericson
Female Tourist: Jillian Romano
Male Tourist: Henry Byrne
Greg: Rex Swoboda
Aunt: Kiley Huang
Sweetheart: Elizabeth Vannoni
Man: Prince Boyd
Freelancer: Jackson Money
Woman: Donna Gillett
Landscaper: Rex Swoboda
Male Doctor: Alexander Gow
Female Doctor: Marlowe Schnider
Attendant: Cora Donaldson
Attendant 2: Bronwyn Dorsey
Janitor: Ash Spiegel

Crew:
Light Board Operator: Jenna Westaby
Sound Board Operators: Remi Bechtel, Mackenzie Goodman
Stage Manager: Axel Blicharz
Asst. Stage Managers: Elliot Plank, Del Voss
Costume Crew: Maggie Howell, Sydney Quigley, Nora Swisher
Props: Noah Coletti
Spots: Elena Garcia, Sean Finnerty
Fly Operator: Jai Flach
Run Crew Chief: Madison Goodman
Run Crew: Ava Audrain, Sean Finnerty, Molly Gann Elena Garcia, Matthew Granier, Emma Nickolotsky, Mary Elizabeth Wallis

Middletown is a deeply moving and funny play exploring the universe of a small American town. As a friendship develops between longtime resident John Dodge and new arrival Mary Swanson, the lives of the inhabitants of Middletown intersect in strange and poignant ways in a journey that takes them from the local library to outer space and points between.

For more information about the conference, please visit: https://missourithespians.org/state-conference-2/