Do you find yourself unable to sit through a typical play lasting multiple hours? Is your attention span too short for these dragged out productions? If so, the Jesuit One Acts may be for you!
The Jesuit Theater Department recently completed the One Acts, one of their largest productions of the fall semester. The series of short, one act plays was performed from Wednesday to Friday, January 9-12, 2013.
The One Acts are a series of comedies performed every Fall and Spring semester by Jesuit, Ursuline, and Booker T. Washington students. They last about 15-20 minutes each, and are directed by Jesuit and Ursuline senior students (hence the name Senior One Acts). Some of the plays have a single director, while others have two seniors teaming up to oversee the production.
Mr. David Myers and Mr. Joe Howard ´04, director and co-director respectively, advised and guided the student directors such that they would later achieve success in their endeavors.
Myers also ran the auditions, in which each actor or actress performs a brief monologue in front of all the other actors/actresses and the directors. The directors proceed to enter a private room and “draft” their cast, similar to a professional sport draft. Usually everyone is selected because there are so many slots to fill, but occasionally some go undrafted.
The audition for the Fall One Acts, which happened on September 26, 2012, was open, meaning everyone can audition, whether a Freshman or a senior, a boy or a girl, a Jesuit Booker T. Washington or Ursuline student, a veteran actor or a beginner.
For the most part, the directors do not write the plays, instead, they will usually perform a work written by another playwright. Occasionally, one or two groups may attempt to write a play of their own, but it is most often avoided because of the extra writing, revising, and editing work.
However, the fall One Acts this year had a rare improvisation performance in which all the performers made up all their lines on the spot. This play, “directed” by Griffin Miller ’13 and Marissa Adame ’13, had no real script to follow whatsoever.
Among most interviewed students, the two favorite comedies were “There Shall Be Not Bottom” and “Bake Off.” In all, there were 11 separate One Acts, five of which performed on Wednesday and Friday. The other six performed on Thursday and Saturday.
Actor Zachary Schutze ’15 enjoyed the diversity, saying that “the One-Acts allowed [him] to get to know many new, interesting people including seniors who direct the one-acts and Ursuline and Booker T. girls.” The casts typically end up becoming very close over the rehearsal and performance process and they tend to form many new friends by the end.
As for the performances, they were extremely popular this year. Friday and Saturday were both filled over the maximum occupancy, with people sitting shoulder to shoulder all down the aisles. Wednesday and Thursday were not quite full houses, which is common, according to several veteran actors.
Attendees included a diverse mixture of people with a large section of theater kids, students, and alumni actors. Another part of the auditorium was reserved for parents, relatives, and other friends that were coming to see the actors. Many teachers from the three schools of the performers could be found in the crowd as well.
Each individual One Act had laughs erupting loudly from the audience, some more than others, as actors and actresses behaved in ways almost contrary to their true selves in reality. “It was hilarious to see some of my fellow classmates who are normally quiet and shy get very loud” remarked Ryan Clancy ’14. Some of the actors even chose to improvise a little by adding little inside jokes, but all in all, the actors and their respective directors did fabulous jobs to create a fabulous showcase of what the students truly have to offer to their community.
The theater, now finished with the Winter One Acts, will not be taking a break. On Wednesday, January 16th, auditions were held for the Spring play “Rumors,” as well as for the Comedy Improv Troupe, Jesuit Musical Theater and the Spring One Acts. Students who didn’t make “Rumors” were considered for the Comedy Improv Troupe.
“The Troupe” performs sketch comedy, stand-up, and Improv, and has been compared to NBC’s Saturday Night Live (SNL). It, too, will be directed by Mr. David Myers as well as other faculty members but will only consist of Jesuit students. The Troupe will produce shows consisting of improvisation, sketch, and stand-up comedy. The students who participate will also study comedy club techniques as well as learn to write their own scripts. The Troupe will then perform in the Lecture Hall during Jesuit’s lunch periods.
The last of the three shows is the Jesuit Musical Review, which was last performed when Mr. Max Von Schlehenried, a physics teacher, attended Jesuit and apparently, stole the spotlight. “It was a ton of fun when I did it as a student and I’m excited to direct it now as a teacher” commented Von. Von and Ms. Ann Morton, music teacher, will co-direct the production and the cast will spend the semester working on songs from different musicals. Performances will then be integrated into the Spring One Acts, which will provide for a larger audience.
Jesuit Theater members are proud of their performances in the Fall One Acts and are looking forward to an action-packed, acting-filled Spring semester.
