Calli Ferguson has been on a lot of bad first dates. However, sophomore thespian and recent recipient of the Best Actress Award in the Western Confluence One-Act Festival in Glenwood Springs, has never been awarded for it, until now.

On Friday, April 4th, Ferguson, along with fourteen other acting students from her Acting in Stage and Film Class, an elective taught by AHS teacher Logan Carter, drove down to Glenwood to compete in the competition. The Western Conference One-Act Festival is a newly created event started by a group of Western Slope theater teachers wishing to give their students a chance to perform, compete and ultimately collaborate with other young actors and actresses in the region. Although five schools signed up to participate in the one day event, only three high schools actually made it to the competition: Grand Valley, Glenwood Springs and AHS.

Each school was asked to prepare a one-act play. The AHS class chose the play “Check, please,” a 30 minute comedy about a series of first dates gone bad. Ferguson played the lead role of “Girl” while junior Giovanni Velasquez played the supporting role of “Guy.”

“It was a little nerve wracking but so much fun to perform in that environment,” Ferguson said. “The whole group did really well.”

In addition to Ferguson’s prize, the class took home the award for Best Teacher Directed One-Act.  Logan Carter was ecstatic about the festival’s results.

“Although there were only a handful of schools present at the competition, I feel it was a real success,” Carter said. “Each school brought something unique and everyone had a lot of fun. Calli’s part was incredibly authentic, and she definitely earned her award.”

From the beginning of her career to present day, Ferguson’s teachers have had a major impact on her acting. Ferguson began performing in productions directed by Logan Carter and local director Jayne Gottlieb when she was in elementary school.

“I’ve been teaching Calli since she was about eight.  The first play I’ve directed with Calli was The Sound of Music, in which Calli actually played a lead role,“ Carter said.  “I could tell right away that she had talent.  She had no fear and she wasn’t self-conscious.”

Recently, Ferguson has had to put a damper on her extracurricular acting aspirations to make time for school work. But, she still finds a unique enjoyment and appeal in performing, and credits a large portion of her interest and success in acting to her teachers.

“My teachers introduced me to an activity that I really enjoy,” Ferguson said. “I’ve really loved working with them over the years as they’ve helped me grow as an actress.”

Ferguson explained that she loves to act because it helps her empathize with different characters and gives her confidence in every aspect of her life.

“I really like to play different characters on stage,“ Ferguson said. “When you are on stage, you are constantly being judged by the audience.  Acting shows me how to create a balance between my own vulnerability and tough skin.”

Catch Ferguson in the next Theater Aspen production and see her talents in action. Also, AHS theater teacher Logan Carter encourages all students interested in participating in  theater production to register for one of her many classes for the upcoming school year or to contact her directly.