This school year has been filled with never-before-seen obstacles. One issue in particular that I and many others forgot about was how will our theater department operate through this pandemic. The first task: how Jesuit would successfully put on the Winter One Acts.
Solution for Masks
I met with Mr. Acevedo the man in charge of making this yearly event happen. Mr. Acevedo was first tasked with the obvious issue of masks. The facial expressions and emotions displayed by the actor’s face are crucial to a proper performance, and such performances are obstructed by masks. The solution to this problem was deciding to hold the one-acts outside where actors do not need to wear masks. Mr. Acevedo also mentioned that as for future productions they will continue to be held outside and even in the far-famed senior courtyard.
Performances and Weather
The weather also came into play as wind and impending rain threatened the production constantly. The collapsing of the stage was the most significant effect of the brutal and unpleasant weather. I watched Mr. Acevedo and his crew work tirelessly throughout the day rebuilding the stage and getting ready for the acts. This unfortunate event proved to be no challenge as the crew quickly recovered and rebuilt the stage. Even on the day of the show, the weather gloomed over the production as dark clouds gathered above the one-acts.
However, as Mr. Acevedo described it “It was almost as if God held back the rain until we finished”. This miracle allowed the one-acts to continue smoothly as all acts finished on time and without any interruptions. The Winter One Acts are a prime example of how Jesuit students and faculty display perseverance and often bring forth clever solutions to complex challenges. The crew of the one-acts did a spectacular job in this production and will go down in Jesuit history as one of the most hard-working crews and casts ever to produce a show.
Stay tuned on the Roundup for more news on Jesuit’s theatre productions.
