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

Photo courtesy of kyle ulsh

One-acts to rule them all

Christian PeÑa

pbsuino@vwc.edu

Are you ready to laugh and cry and be so caught up in a story that you forget where you are at? Well, come to the Hofhiemer Theater on Fri., May 1 and Sat., May 2 for an amazing time as the Directing class presents a collection of one-act plays.

Seven students from the TH412 directing class have been selected to organized and execute a play of his or her choice. Tamara Ritter, Lynea Cook, Carl Brevil, Mandi Ellis, Kim Fahle, Rachel Gordon, and Shannon Agostino are all motivated to do a great job with the plays, even though it will be a first for some of them in regards to directing. The selections are not long, running at around thirty minutes or less. Each of the directors is highly excited about his or her respective piece.

 We ve been practicing for a month and I feel very confident about it, said senior Mandi Ellis. Her play is called  Sorry, Wrong Number and is a  Dramody, a combination of a drama and a comedy.

 We want the audience to feel creepy, said freshman Jessi Pugh. The plot involves a bedridden woman whose only link to the outside is her phone that constantly cuts out on her with a twist in the plot.

Ellis has done a good job directing, as it is her first time organizing a play.

 She had us prepare for the performance by listening to the old radio version or watching the old movie, said freshman Katie LaVigne, who has no previous acting experience. Ellis helped LaVigne develop different levels of reactions and intensity.

Another interesting drama/comedy is Tamara Ritter s  Doctor Magic, a play about a couple who sees a hypnotist for marriage counseling, but end up in more trouble. Junior Mark Jones plays the role of Doctor Magic, the main antagonist. He at first provides some comic relief, but turns the play much darker when he  advises the couple.

 I like the fact that Doctor Magic is a mix, said Ritter.  Dark comedies are fun to perform and the cast is fantastic!

Having a great cast is always helpful; Kim Fahle says that she lucked out with her cast.  Everyone has prior theater experience. All I have to do is tell them what I want and they deliver, said Fahle. Her play is called  Approaching Lavendar and is full of emotion. It is about two sisters from a broken family dealing with a new parent and a new sister. Senior Kori Robins plays a  sarcastic, condescending person, contrasted with Kim Sypniewski s  panicky, on edge older sister. Freshman Kaitlin Harris rounds out the trio with a  ditsy, loves everyone stepsister who just wants to get along.

 It s great that all I have to do is worry about my lines, said Robins.  I know that Kim and Kaitlin are going to do their jobs and everything will come together in the end.

The other plays are equally interesting and well-put together. Brevil describes his group as dedicated as they rehearse for  Romeo, You Idiot, a parody of Romeo and Juliet. Agostino s  Women in Heat will feature several female antics. A girl will find herself in a world where nothing is as it seems in Gordon s  Grecian Cat . Cook s selection,  Brush Yourself Off and Move On is sure to delight.

Overall, audiences are in for a treat when they come to see the student directed one-acts. There will be raw emotion and a ton of laughs, suitable for all ages. There will be plenty of diversity among the plays, so there s sure to be something for everyone.

Come join the experience in the Hofhiemer Theatre in the Fine Arts Building on Fri., May 1 at 7 p.m. for Gordon, Cook, Ellis, and Ritter s performances. The next section is on Sat., May 2 at 4:30 p.m. and will feature the plays directed by Brevil, Agostino, and Fahle. The performance on May 2 will be out in plenty of time for Spring Fling, which is on the same date at 7 p.m.

Admission is free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary.