Marble Falls High School theater arts students include Ryan Counts (top, left), Isaac Manzanares, Jared Shields, Noah Guillen, Siler O’Connor, Christine Ashbaugh and Wolf Williams; Dex Bingham (middle, left), Emily Gunlock, Phoebe Greening, Rachel Coursey, London Gibson, Lupita Mora, Erin Downey, Katie Mintz and Morgan Harrison; and Nate Haywood (bottom, left), Holden Fox, Aiden Park, Corey Bogue, Taylor Wimbish and Alyssa Anderson. Not pictured is Jess Eddy. Staff photo by Jared Fields

Marble Falls High School theater arts students include Ryan Counts (top, left), Isaac Manzanares, Jared Shields, Noah Guillen, Siler O’Connor, Christine Ashbaugh and Wolf Williams; Dex Bingham (middle, left), Emily Gunlock, Phoebe Greening, Rachel Coursey, London Gibson, Lupita Mora, Erin Downey, Katie Mintz and Morgan Harrison; and Nate Haywood (bottom, left), Holden Fox, Aiden Park, Corey Bogue, Taylor Wimbish and Alyssa Anderson. Not pictured is Jess Eddy. Staff photo by Jared Fields

MARBLE FALLS – It’s been one of those years for the Marble Falls High School theater program with the group riding a wave of success.
The theater department won three Marble Falls-area Locals Love Us awards voted on by The Picayune readers: Favorite Club/Organization, Theater Production (for “Paganini”) and Community Event (for Fright Night Theatre.)
“One that was really a surprise was community event because Walkway of Lights is such a huge event,” said Marble Falls High School theater teacher Jon Clark. “I guess I’m not really surprised, overall, because the kids had an incredible year so far, and it just keeps going on.”
Students in the department have earned statewide and national recognition this year. And with their upcoming UIL one-act play “Moon Over Buffalo” and UIL theatrical design competition, Clark believes more accolades are on the horizon.
He said the department is led by the senior members and the parents of his students.
“Our parents are awesome, and super supportive of everything we do,” he said. 
As for the students involved, according to Clark, “They make me look good.”
“Every single one of (the seniors) is just like a No. 1 draft pick in any other department, and I have them all in one,” Clark said. 
That level of support and quality students are no wonder two productions won a Locals Love Us award. 
The Fright Night Theatre haunted house in the Salem’s Center basement in Marble Falls was a huge success as was the department’s November production of “Paganini.”
And as the semester winds down, the department will continue riding the wave. 
“I’m excited to see how the rest of the semester goes,” Clark said. 
jared@thepicayune.com