Tashal Trottier didn’t have to act surprised when her name was called on the stage at Jamestown High School on Nov. 19.

It was the acting she did earlier that day that left the senior at Rugby High School shocked when she earned one of the Superior Actor Awards at the State Class B One-Act Play contest.

“I was really excited about it,” she said. “I got (the award) at region too, but I wasn’t sure whether they’d do it for every town that competed so I was surprised.”

Trottier was one of the 24 Rugby students who made the trip to Jamestown for the state competition.

After starting with a different script, drama advisor Shannon Miller changed the selection the group performed.

“I knew the kids wanted to do a comedy but the script called for more kids than I had,” she said. “I had to recruit some kids. I was really happy. A lot of my extras hadn’t been on stage before but stepped out of their comfort zones. I think it will make the drama department stronger in the future.”

The rehearsals for the play ironically titled, “How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying,” started with the core group the second week of September.

The extras got going about a month later, Miller said, with the entire group practicing about four times a day.

It made for a busy fall for a number of students.

“The drama kids are literally in everything,” Miller said. “For some of them it was a third activity.”

The comedy was a good choice, according to Trottier.

“We usually do a comedy, because they do well at region,” she said. “I’m in speech, too, and I really enjoy the humorous ones instead of the serious ones.”

For Trottier, drama is in her genes and she wants to continue to perform in some form.

“I’m not sure if I’m going to do it as part of a degree, but I want to participate because my sisters did it and my dad did, too,” Trottier said.

The Rugby team advanced to state after scoring perfectly at their regional competition.

“The kids were pretty proud of the fact they received a perfect score,” Miller said.

After earning the Superior Actor Award at the regionals, Miller said Trottier’s award at state was “well deserved.”

“She practically floated across the stage,” Miller said.