Erisha Jones and Taylor Getwood may one day be stars on the big screen. But right now, they’re doing a good job finding the path to get there.

The Memorial High School juniors earned superior ratings in the Texas Thespians Festival in Dallas — a first in the high school’s history — and now a chance to compete at the national level this summer.

The competition in Dallas was big, with breakout sessions featuring catchy titles like “How to Kill Your Broadway Audition.”

The two students performed “The Mountaintop,” by Katori Hall with Getwood taking on the role of The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jones as Camae, the maid. The play is described as a unique story on the last hours of the civil rights leader’s life.

MHS Theater Director Henrietta Haynes said more than 8,000 teens competed at the convention in Dallas and the duo compete with about eight groups.

Both Jones and Getwood agree the competition and event in general was intense.

“If someone would have told me we were going to the nationals, I wouldn’t have believed them,” Jones said.

The opportunity to take part in the convention showed Jones and Getwood a broad spectrum of others who have a common thread and passion for theater.

Both students have been involved in theater since they were in elementary school and stayed involved through the years. Most recently they performed in the school’s production of “The Color Purple” with Getwood playing the characters of Grady and Bobby and Jones playing “some of the hens,” or gossiping women.

Top students, busy students

Both Getwood and Jones are busy students and academically successful.

Getwood is in the choir and serves as musical director/bass section leader, and participates in student government as president of the Men of Woodrow Wilson Early College High School and the Superintendent’s Advisory Board. He spends his school day at Wilson, then goes to Memorial campus where he participates in theater.

Jones is in choir and is the alto section leader, in all advanced placement classes, is vice president of the 2020 class and is president of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America at the school.

The rest of the school year will be busy for these students — there is the University Interscholastic One Act Play competition, UIL Prose and Poetry competition and Mock Trial, besides any other theater productions.

Looking to the future

The two actors have set goals for themselves and see their futures in acting.

“I’d definitely like to see myself making more movies,” Getwood said when asked where he would like to see himself in 20 years.

And, once he becomes an established actor with a number of movies, and maybe awards, under his belt he plans to come back to Port Arthur and open a thespian academy.

Jones said she can see herself giving an Oscar speech in 20 years, or maybe the duo could be co-hosts of the prestigious Academy Awards show.

“The main reason I want to come back to Port Arthur (after becoming an actor) is the fine arts,” he said. “The way our city is built around sports, theater doesn’t get a chance. I can see a bird’s-eye view where they treat theater the same as football and band the same as choir.”

The students and the teacher

Both Jones and Getwood agree they wouldn’t be where they are — going to national competition — if it weren’t for Haynes.

Haynes, likewise, is proud of her students.

“I am very, very proud of them and very excited to see their next adventure,” Haynes said. “Taylor (Getwood) may be the next Denzel Washington and Erisha (Jones) my Viola Davis.”

The national competition will be held this summer in Lincoln, Nebraska.