Directing Class - 10 Minute Scenes

Now that the 2021 Fall semester is in full swing, classes have started to ramp up, and the St. Ambrose University Department has begun to dive into rehearsals and performances.

One annual theatre activity, the 10-minute scenes, which is held near and dear to the hearts of aspiring student directors, will also start up this month.

For those who are unfamiliar with 10-minute scenes, they are one of the assignments from Dr. Cory Johnson's directing class, THTR 312 Directing. Every fall semester a group of theatre majors and minors take this directing class to learn the basic theory and techniques of directing as well as how to direct shows themselves. This is one of the first projects where the students actually get to direct something themselves. To meet academic standards, the students select a 10-minute scene from a play of their choice, direct it, and then present it in front of the class. This semester's directing students are seniors Courtney Cook and Andrés Garcia.

Cook has selected a 10-minute selection from the show Marvin's Room by Scott McPhearson; Garcia chose a scene from the show Mass Appeal by Bill C. Davis. In their process so far, both directors have thoroughly enjoyed their first taste of directing.

"My favorite part about doing this scene is getting to help my actresses develop their characters," Cook said.

While the students' first directing experience has been very positive so far, along with new experiences comes new roadblocks they've had to overcome during the process. For instance, both directors said they had the most trouble creating schedules.

"Everyone is very busy!" Garcia exclaimed. "It is a lot harder than I thought to find time to rehearse that works for everyone involved, and I was not expecting that."

Despite some issues here and there, both directors are having a great time in the directing class in general. Whether they are directing their 10-minute scenes or learning about different directorial styles, they love exploring this branch of theatre.

"My favorite part about the directing class is how much I am getting out of it," Garcia said. "I can feel myself growing more than I have in other classes because I am able to make my ideas known."

While these scenes are not produced to be viewed for the public, later in the semester Cook and Garcia will be directing one act plays that will be performed for anyone who wants to attend. The performance for both one acts December 7 at 7 p.m. in the Studio Theatre.

If you are interested in acting in the directing class, one act auditions are Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Studio Theatre. The department wishes the best luck to the students of the directing class as they continue to learn and get experience in the field of directing.