Visual and Performing Arts at Dreher

From a proud Director of Bands, Dr. Chris Lee, on April 28, 2025

"This Weekend was the final piece of the SCBDA puzzle for the Outstanding Performance Award and our Dreher Band students earned 15 Superior Ratings and 3 Excellent Ratings at the SCBDA Solo & Ensemble. Please join me in congratulating Chloe’ Bryant, Levi Nichols, Gerry Mendez, Francis Grice, Eason Graham, Christopher White, Merryn Courie, Ryan Wood, Liam Barr, Brooke Canfield Maria Sloop, Ashton Cutler, Peyton Mooney, Liam Barr, Madison Griffin-Jones, Rocco Scandrol,  Mia Amos, Bella Lucci, Annie Pregnall, Jack Byrd, Macy Dubas, Aiden Wang Paul Jenkinson, Julian Hailey, Tsali Ray, and Madeline Boddie for your performance at the SCBDA Solo & Ensemble! You are ROCKSTARS! 

Please also join me in congratulating all of our Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Region Band, All-State Band, and Solo & Ensemble participants for earning the 2024-2025 SCBDA Outstanding Performance Award! This is the highest award in the South Carolina Band Director Association and a tribute and reflection of the determination of our Dreher Community.

Please also congratulate Alexandra Wyland, Kathleen Lee, and Alyssa Stephens for their OUTSTANDING instruction and vision! SIMPLY THE BEST!

Our final scores are:

Marching Band -Superior Rating, 1^st Place SCBDA 3A Lower State, and 2nd Place 3A State Championships. (30 points)

Wind Ensemble -Superior with Distinction at the SCBDA 2025 Concert Performance Assessment in Class 6 (30 points)

All-State/Region Band Members -6 All-State, 14 Region Band Members (20 points)

Solo & Ensemble -15 Superior and 3 Excellent Ratings (20 points)

Forty-three talented students competed at the Palmetto Dramatics Association/SC International Thespian Society Competition and Festival. Dreher's thespians won several awards and accolades.

SCITS Awards (SC International Thespian Society)

SCITS Superiors - 17 students in 15 events qualified for the International Thespian Festival this summer.

Monologues

Sophie Robinson, Hollis Gwin, Nico Francis, Colin Covert, Eloise Ogden

Duet Scene

Lucinda Pringle and Beatrice Barilla; Hollis Gwin and Nico Francis

Group Scene

Marjorie Weaver, Dorothy Weaver, Beatrice Barilla, Luke Schrader; Rhyan Horton, Lacy Eaddy, Kamryn Pressley Cooley

Solo Musical

Leila Pregnall, Colin Covert

Lighting Design

Luke Schrader

Makeup Design

Spire Wilson

Musical Theatre Dance

Zion Cooper, Kamirah Thompson

We also received a Gold Honor Troupe Designation, recognizing our theatre program for its excellence throughout the year.

In addition, Sophie Robinson was elected Co-Chair for the State Thespian Officers of South Carolina, and Leila Pregnall was elected Secretary.

 

PDA AWARDS (Palmetto Dramatics Association) 

Golden Apple Award for 10 Years of Service - Kathleen Pennyway

Excellent Acting Award

Dorothy Weaver, Lucinda Pringle

Excellent in Play Production - The Little Prince directed by Marjorie Weaver and featuring the talents of the senior Theatre class. 

 

 

In early November students from across the state auditioned for the 24-25 SCMEA All-State Guitar Ensemble. This year more schools than ever sent students to audition.  Of the 16 students from across the state who were selected for the ensemble, 13 are musicians from Dreher.

Named to the 2024-25 SCMEA All-State Guitar Ensemble and scheduled to perform at SCMEA Guitarfest in May 2025.:

• Sky Gilliam

• Caleb Liu

• Aria Le

• Lane Oana

• Dominic Empleo

• Beckham O'Neill

• Van Terracio

• Alex Kolomoets

• Luke Herring

• Nam Pham

• Kam Snow

• Dimitrius Tart

• Mia Amos

 

1.  Sky and Caleb tied for the highest overall score in the state.

2. Lane, Beckham, and Luke are now 2 time All-State members.

3. Alex has been selected to this ensemble for 3 consecutive years.

4. Caleb is the first student in the history of the state to be selected 4 years in a row.

5.  Mia Amos has now been named to both the All-State Chorus and All-State Guitar. She is trying to be the first student ever to make it in 3 art forms as she will be auditioning in January for the opportunity to make All-State Band as well.

 

From Benjamin Broughton, our Guitar Program Director:

"Last year we were invited to participate in a recording project through the Virtual Guitar Orchestra and the Augustine Strings corporation. Students from New York, Connecticut, and Hawaii were also invited to participate in this unique nationwide collaboration. 

Students were asked to play The Sun by Ronald Pearl. It was quite literally the most challenging music I have ever given to High School students. The students spent most of the 2nd semester working on their parts as well as learning their other music for our Spring concert and keeping up with their other classes. To participate each student had to independently record themselves playing their own part to send in to the VGO directors."

For a feast for the ears, download their performance here: Virtual Guitar Orchestra and Augustine Strings Corporation

Peyton All

Katie Bauer (Class of 24)

Aidan Dong (Class of 24)

Ezra Good

Alec Hamilton (Class of 24)

Luke Herring

Carla Holt (Class of 24)

Lucia Humphrey

Alex Kolomoets

Sophia Lin

Caleb Liu

Wyatt Merland (Class of 24)

Beckham O'Neill

Lane Oana

Seth Perry

Sydney Sanderson

Samuel Schatz (Class of 24)

Dimitrius Tart

Diego Thrasher (Class of 24)

Anne Varner

Congratulations to eight vocalists of Chorus teacher Hannah McKenzie for earning All-State recognition: (l to r) Ben Palmer, Caleb Evans, Hannah Langley, Mia Amos, Mia Rodriguez, Tanisha Goodpaster, and Angel Figueroa and Zoe Smith.

 

Twelve of our Chorus students were selected to sing in the 2024 SCMEA Central Region Choir. Three of these students performed in the final concert.  Zoe Smith was a featured soloist and Arilia Thompson and Emma Walsh were featured in the descant of the world premier of a new choral piece.

Shown in the photo from left to right and front to back are Mia Rodriguez, Jordan Ibekwe, Jahvanna McCornell, Mia Amos, Tanisha Goodpaster, Zoe Smith, Sophia Francis, Arilia Thompson, Emma Walsh, Caleb Evans, Sam Siceloff, and Ben Palmer.

Chorus teacher Hannah McKenzie is proud of her twenty-one students who received audition scores high enough to be selected for the 2024-2025 R1 High School District Honor Choir.  They are:

Angel Figueroa, Arilia Thompson, Ben Palmer, Bryce Peeples, Caleb Evans, Ella Prijoles-McCracken, Emma Walsh, Hannah Langley, Honyst Blake, Isabella Trejo, Jordan Ibekwe, Lachlan All-Black, Layla Strother, Mia Amos, Mia Rodriguez, Natalee Kaufman, Pax Malson, Sam Siceloff, Sophia Francis, Tanisha Goodpaster, and Zoe Smith.

Theatre teacher Kathleen Pennyway proudly reports "Dreher once again led the district in awards at the 2024 Richland One District Theatre festival."

Superiors with Distinction

Solo Musical - Colin Covert

Duet Musical - Chloe Thompson and Sophie Robinson

Musical Theatre Dance - Kamirah Thompson

Solo Acting - Sophie Robinson

Duet Scene - Hollis Gwin and Nico Francis; also Dorothy Weaver and Beatrice Barilla

Group Scene - Dorothy Weaver, Marjorie Weaver, Beatrice Barilla, Luke Schrader

Technical Theatre - Spire Wilson

Superiors 

Solo Musical - Lucinda Pringle

Solo Acting - Kamryn Pressley-Cooley

Duet Acting - Kathryn Adler and Asa Adler

BIG congratulations to Dr. Lee and our entire Blue Devil Marching Band who took 2nd place in the 2024 SCBDA 3A State Championships.  This is the band’s highest finish in school history.  Well done! We are very proud of you!

 

The Dreher Orchestra (under the direction of Adam Rafferty), the Dreher Dance Company (under the direction of Kathleen Lee) and the special guest, Hand's Orchestra Director Brian McCants, prepared a Halloween treat for us.  It's THRILLING to watch and listen!

Thriller by the Dreher Orchestra and Dreher Dance Company

Ryan Wood  

Eason Graham  

Kaleb Pringle  

Julianne Holt  

Madeline Boddie  

Wynn Lee  

Rocco Scandrol  

Ashton Cutler  

Maria Sloop  

Gerry Mendez  

Madison Griffin-Jones  

Noah McCarn  

Trevor Dooley  

Brooke Canfield  

Coleman Hughes  

Spencer Bush  

Tyson White 

 

Merryn Courie 

Levi Nichols 

Chloe' Bryant 

Francis Grice 

Bella Lucci 

Honyst Blake 

Kwaleik Dreher 

Mia Amos 

Liam Barr 

Jack Byrd 

Victor Paul Jenkinson 

Macy Dubas 

Aiden Wang 

Tsali Ray 

Alaina Cutler 

Christopher White 

Kimberly Jones 

James Pool 

Ann Pregnall 

Peyton Mooney 

Tyler Mack 

Tyson White, Chloe' Bryant, Francis Grice, Kwaleik Dreher, Jack Byrd, Levi Nichols, Coleman Hughes, Peyton Mooney, Kaleb Pringle, and Madeline Boddie.

 

 

Dreher artists awarded at the Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards:

Aria Le, 10th grade- Gold Key- Ceramics & Glass  (with this finish, Aria's ceramic mask qualifies for national competition).

Karsyn Jackson, 10th grade- Silver Key- Photography

Honorable Mention:

Carolyn Coffey, 11th grade - Fashion

Quentin Hilley, 12th grade - Mixed Media

Sienna Buck, 12th grade - Drawing & Illustration

Peyton Mooney, 11th grade -Drawing & Illustration