Districts for Marjory Stonemason Douglas High School’s Drama Club took place on Dec. 2 and were a huge success. The dark comedy “Horse Girls” by Jenny Rachel Weiner was  performed by MSD seven drama students, seniors Taylor Fish, Theresa Prather, Melanie Webber and Avery Cooper; junior Sophie Whitney; sophomore Dylan Redshaw and freshman Eve Cohen. They portrayed seven pre-teen girls who love horses and create the most exclusive Horse Club in all of South Florida.  The play exemplified pre-teens and their obsessions, insecurities and desperate need to find a place in the world.

“’Horse Girls’ is a good play, and it’s a really fun show, and the parts we’re playing as young girls are really relatable and are easier parts to play,” Redshaw said.

The group of seven each got assigned a role as one of the pre-teens. Fish played Ashleigh Whitford, 12-year-old president of the ‘Lady Jean Lady’ Club who has the most experience in horseback riding compared to the others in the club. Twelve-year-old Margaret Flanagan was played by Whitney.  There are two sisters in the play, 13-year-old Tiffany Gesuvia and 11-year-old
Robin Gesuvia, portrayed by Redshaw and Cohen. Brandi Marshell is a 12-year-old preteen who was portrayed by Prather. Cooper portrayed Camille Lowenstein, and Trish Lowenstein is her cousin, who was played by Webber.

According to the Samuel French website,“news that her family’s stables are being sold and their horses killed for meat throws the Ladies into crisis in this dark comedy of middle school deception and lies.”

“I chose the play because we’re always looking for plays that will highlight a lot of girls-female talent,” Drama Club Sponsor Melody Herzfeld said.

Herzfeld chose the play in March 2016, but the students did not audition for roles until August 2016. The students performers have been practicing nearly everyday after school and during class for six weeks.

“I think the kids have been working so hard on it. It’s such a showcase for individual characterization, and the writing is so funny, so my expectations are always high,” Herzfeld said.

At Districts, “Horse Girls” was a great success. It received a Critics Choice Award in One Acts, State Selected One Act and Best Tech Award for One Acts.

“MSD’s Drama Club got straight superiors and were selected as a group to go to States,” Herzfeld said.