Potosi School District

By Marah Vogelsberg

Potosi Middle and High School teacher Mrs. Siegert does much more than just teach classes. Siegert also has taken direction of high school plays, and more recently, high school musicals. She got her start in theater in the late 80’s where she “loved participating in anything on stage in high school.” During high school, she was involved in 2 musicals and a play put on by UW-Platteville. 

She attended college at UW-Platteville where she minored in theater and participated in a musical and play. While in college, she started a summer theater company in Belmont called First Capital Players in 1990. This company involved her in directing grades 6-12 for the next 10 years. Her goal when starting this company was to give students the chance to do what she was not able to do: perform throughout middle and high school. She continued to act in Platteville Community Theater while directing plays for her company. In 1990, the First Capital Players put on a play called “The Five Alarm Felony”, a play she wrote and directed, which is the same play Potosi High School did this year. 

The plays we put on at Potosi High School come with a lot of responsibility and would not be possible without the guidance of Mrs. Siegert. When she decides on what play to put on, she must first find a script and then begin the auditioning process. Once the cast has been selected, she has to create a schedule that will work for everyone while balancing other schedules such as softball and baseball. When rehearsals start, she has to make a list of all the props, supplies, equipment, and costumes needed to make the play great. There also needs to be a soundtrack created with lighting and sound scheduled for the performance. 

Once all of the technical work is finished, she is tasked with spreading the word and getting support from the community. Siegert said, “It is amazing to feel the love and support of the arts by Potosi community members of the past and present.” She also went on to say that the community does a wonderful job supporting all of the fine arts including band and choir. She feels “Very lucky and blessed!” 

Potosi High School is very fortunate to have someone with the experience Mrs. Sieget has, who is also willing to put on all of our play productions. She is the reason everything runs smoothly on opening night by making sure all of the behind-the-scenes work is completed to the best of her ability. Without her, our productions would not be possible.