Despite Covid-19 limitations and play casts plagued by illness, the twenty-first annual Gator Play Production festival was held Thursday at Wisner-Pilger’s Fine Arts Auditorium.   Five schools performed at the Festival–Winside, “Those Crazy Ladies in the House on the Corner”; Lutheran High Northeast, “I Don’t Mind That You’re Ugly”; Homer, “Matilda, Jr.”; West Point-Beemer, “The Struggles”; and Wisner-Pilger, “‘Til the Storm of Life Is Past”.  The festival’s official was Kathy Foner of Niobrara. Festival director Gregg Moeller was glad that the schools were able to perform, though Covid restrictions made for unusual performance situations. “None of the other schools were able to see the other plays, which was unfortunate,” Moeller said.  “That is part of what makes this such a learning activity. But we had to deal with the situation as best we could.” While there was no team scoring, the following performers earned individual recognition with the Ellen Philbin Memorial Awards: Best Overall Actor–Brandon Dumdei, Homer Best Overall Actress–Bradie Johnson, Homer Outstanding Supporting Performer–Gwen Donner, Wisner-Pilger Outstanding Freshman Performer–Jose Ramirez, Wisner-Pilger Also, an outstanding male and female performer were selected from each cast, along with “Honorable Mention” recognition: WINSIDE–Actor–Toby Heineman Actress–Kylie Cautrell Honorable Mention–Kati Topp, Ashelyn Abler, McKenna Russell LUTHERAN HIGH NORTHEAST–Actor–Micah Goedekin Actress–Maddie BeckerHonorable Mention–Ally Moreno, Esther Molina, Ryan Rose HOMER–Actor–Brandon DumdeiActress–Bradie Johnson Honorable Mention–Shely Bensen, Cyle Wolfe, Cloe Holmes, Brooklyn Schmidt WEST POINT-BEEMER Actor–Gerardo OsorioActress–Brooklyn Weddle Honorable Mention–Logan Consbruck, Ana Mayes, Riley Penrose WISNER-PILGER Actor–Sam Thompson Actress–Gwen DonnerHonorable Mention–Kaci Baier, McKenna Slonecker, Jose Ramirez, Audrey Glaubius, Tymarie Ott, Aidan Sateren.