The directors are coming, the directors are coming! That’s right, the directing class one-acts are invading the stage in the first week of December.
Over the course of three days, 17 student-directed one-acts will take place in the Norton Clapp Theater. Tickets will be sold at the door for $2 each. Six plays averaging 12 minutes each will take place on Monday and Wednesday and five will be performed on Tuesday.
While these one-acts are a part of the directing class through the theater department here on campus, the productions are completely student-run. From directing to tech and acting, these one-acts are based on the initiatives of the students in the class.
“The course is in several sections: discussions about what a director’s charge entails, looking at play structure and how to go about selecting a play, in-class projects on techniques of directing, then doing dramaturgy in teams on a particular play, then actual directing treatments of short plays in class,” instructor Marylin Bennett said.
Once students learn their way around the basics of directing, the practical experience begins first with campus-wide auditions. This year’s directing class auditions had a total turnout of 86 students who auditioned for 39 parts available for the one acts.
After auditions and callbacks it is a snowball blitz to get tech days, rehearsals and dress rehearsals down before the opening night for each show.
While the directors and actors are self motivated, the directing class does have the fortune of continually being able to trouble-shoot with their class and professor and further discuss the practicalities and realities of directing.
“The directing process has held a few surprises. The organizational demands have been more strenuous than I expected, with having to create a rehearsal schedule, coordinate between all my cast, track down, make or buy props and doing research. It’s a detailed and demanding process, but so far it has also been very rewarding,” senior theater major Joey Fechtel said.
This year’s directing class one-acts promise to be a larger and more diverse amalgamation than in previous years. Usually the class directs 10 to 12 one acts, so with the 17 coming out this semester, Puget Sound is given an increased number of opportunities to appreciate and support the theater students and department on campus.
Not only are the number of acts increased, but there is also a wide variation of styles. This semester the plays range from farce and absurdism to the more dramatic side of romance and thought-provoking issues.
“I chose the piece I am directing because among the dozens I read, it stood out to me as a unique opportunity. It is a very somber piece that carries with it a lot of heavy questions, and that kind of theater appeals to me,” Fechtel said.
Previous directing experience is not required for the one-acts. In fact, many of this year’s directors have had little or no extended directing experience before entering the class.
Everyone is on equal footing because they all begin by learning the essential basics to be the best director possible by taking in new insights and methods of directing from the class and instructor.
“Directing is a completely new experience for me,” senior theater major Ricky German said. “I’m really a tech person, so this is both a trying and rewarding experience.”
While the directing process can be a difficult experience, it allows those who previously had only tech or acting experience to begin to appreciate dramaturgy in its entirety.
“Since I’m primarily an actor, it took a while for me to get used to having to prepare for rehearsal before going into it, rather than just having to show up and be there or be told what to do. I’ve also struggled to stay balanced on that fine line between overly-directing my actors and not directing them enough. I want the performance to be theirs, but I also have an idea in my mind; my end hope is that all of us grow as theatermakers,” senior theater and creative writing double-major Jesse Baldridge said.
Each one-act will be performed for one night only, so be sure to come by and see the directing class in action while you can.
[PHOTO COURTESY/ JESSE BALDRIDGE]
(Editor’s Note: In our printed issue of The Trail published December 3rd, the wrong picture was featured. The photo accompanying this online version has now been corrected. We apologize to our readers and to the hard-working students in the One-Acts for the mix-up.)
