The Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association (MIFA) team of WBHS has earned the first place title at the annual Regional Competition last weekend for their performance of The Diary of Anne Frank. Now they are on their way to the MIFA State Festival at Chelsea High School this upcoming weekend, to compete with 11 other schools in hopes of winning the State Festival this year.

To compete in MIFA, high school drama departments from across the state are tasked with putting on an approximately  45-minute one act play, and then are critiqued and scored by 3 judges from the organization based on technical aspects of the show, acting techniques, and more. Five years ago West Bloomfield won first place at the State Festival, and the current team hopes to have the same success this weekend.

Showings of The Diary of Anne Frank premiered last week at WBHS for the public to see MIFA perform this show at their home stage. This show was emotionally stunning and adhered to historical accuracy surrounding the events depicted in the actual Diary of Anne Frank, according to audience members and cast involved.

Senior Blake Ehrlichman, who plays the role of Otto Frank in the production, said that “this role in particular is a role that I really had to step out of my comfort zone for, and is not the type of character I typically play.” One reason for this production’s success so far this season is that there has been, “more unity between the techies and actors,” said Meka Johnson, sophomore, who is doing tech for MIFA this year.

However West Bloomfield places at this weekend’s competition, it seems that this production has been a worthwhile and important experience for all students involved. Congratulations on their successes so far this season, and Spectrum wishes MIFA good luck this weekend!