A group of students are diving headfirst into preparations for their final class project in THTR 312 Directing: one act plays.
These productions are not just an assignment, however; they are fully-realized productions performed for real-life audiences. This naturally increases the stakes for these new directors, many who have never directed before taking this class.
"It was really fun to be on the other side of auditions, but it was also incredibly nerve-wracking," said SAU senior and student director Sarah Goodall. "You feel all this power and realize that this time, you're the one calling the shots."
Nerves aside, shows are cast, and the class' six student directors and their actors are hard at work. They are wasting no time getting started on the rehearsal process and learning as they go.
"It certainly isn't easy, and there is plenty of trial and error, but I can't think of a better way to learn how to direct a show than to just do it," SAU junior and student director Erika Seabloom said.
There is no doubt these student directors are diving right into directing. They picked their own shows, held auditions (with the help of theatre professor Dr. Corinne Johnson), chose their actors, set up rehearsals, and more. Directing the one acts entails more than instructing actors and running rehearsals. It requires completing a script analysis, presenting a concept presentation, creating a floor plan, and countless other intensive tasks. It certainly is not for the faint of heart.
Having six directors in the class doesn't make this already difficult task any easier. The student directors must share the Studio Theatre space or find other places on campus to rehearse. Having six directors also means six one acts that needed to be cast, something that can be difficult to do on a smaller campus like St. Ambrose. Somehow, they've pulled it off, and the shows are sure to be ones to remember.
The one acts debut on two nights. On December 9, the acts will be Beyond the White Noise (written by Steven Shapiro and directed by Tyler Hughes), Scar Tissue (written by Gabriel Rivas Gomez and directed by Erika Seabloom), and The End of the Pier (written by Richard James and directed by Sarah Goodall). On December 11, directors Kiara Thomas, Abbie Carpenter, and Morgan Reilly will showcase their talents with the one acts Boy Meets Girl (written by Sam Wolfson), To Fall in Love (written by Jennifer Lane), and Sure Thing (written by David Ives).
Performances begin at 7 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, which is in the basement of the Galvin Fine Arts Center. There will only be one performance of each one act. Admission is free, though donations will be accepted and encouraged. Anyone wanting to see the hard work of these student directors is welcome and should consider attending both nights of this unique opportunity
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