Current Release: April 28th, 2009 | Vol. XXX Iss. 10

Photo by tj martin

Student direction

By Meghan See

mesee@vwc.edu

Virginia Wesleyan College will be seeing more than its share of creativity on the stage this semester. Seven students will be directing their own shows for an upcoming one-act festival as their final project in a directing class.

 Directing is a challenge because your final is in front of a lot of people, said Dr. Travis Malone, the professor for the 400-level theater class.

This is not the first year that students have directed one-act plays. The class is held every two years in the spring. The last time the class was offered, one student directed a show   Blood on Gold.

Students Shannon Agostino, Mandi Ellis, Kim Fahle, Carl Brevil, Rachel Gordan, Lynea Cook and Tamara Ritter are taking the class.

One of the things the students are most excited about is getting to control things they have not been able to work with when they act. For their first time, these students will be able to make all the calls when it comes putting on the show.

 I ve been an actor, done the backstage work, but never gotten to direct, junior Fahle said.  It s a new experience. Also, I wanted to convey the picture and tone to the audience in a way that I can control.

She took the class for her major and is glad that she s able to take it.

 It s the kind of thing I d rather be doing  spend my time creatively, Fahle said.  I have a class as an outlet for creativity instead of writing it out in a paper.

 Honestly, I m very scared, said junior Agostino.  But I m excited about being to able to take charge and use what I ve seen other directors do and change it to the way I want.

Each director will need three to five actors for their play. Everyone is invited to audition for the plays. It is a great way to get involved with theater if you have ever been interested in acting but do not have time for a major VWC production as the one-acts are less stressful. Auditions will be held shortly after spring break in the Hofheimer Theater.

 The cool thing about going to the one-acts is that they take place over two nights and are all different shows. You can go both nights and you won t see the same show twice, said Dr. Malone.

The shows will be performed May 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hofheimer Theater.