Student in the Teachers' Lounge

Actors James E. Webb and Kristin Stadelmann in Erin E. Phraner's Your DNA for an A

This year the 24 Hour Play Festival was even better than ever. Five great shows with a nice group of talented actors, writers and directors. Here's how it all came about...

Friday night the directors and writers got together to start the process. They were to bring an image to share - something that would spark the writing. Each writer drew an image and each director drew an amount of actors and their physical description. From that point, the meeting dispersed and the writers went home to construct something brand new that would be performed in less than 24 hours.

The next morning we actors showed up at 8:45am ready for our scripts and to meet the people we'd be working with. I was delivered a script called Fraternizing With the Enemy, written by PhD candidate, John Socas. Me and three other actors and director Daphnie Sicre set out to cast, read through, rehearse and learn the script by 8pm last night.

I have to say it was a really fun process - and a demanding one as well. I have not acted formally in a long time. I usually place myself in the director's chair. Directing was my college major and it's just where I usually end up in the theatre. This year I wanted to challenge myself and throw caution to the wind. Being on stage has always been fun for me and I love the challenge of getting inside a character. Last night I had the challenge of playing a domineering sorority girl on Hell Night. I've never even considered joining a sorority, so it was funny to step way outside of my comfort zone.

They process went really well for our group and the show went off without a hitch. Watching the other performances, I was amazed and pleased to see just how talented everyone in the Educational Theatre department really is. Sometimes you forget when immersed in such an academic setting, that we have this well of talent which brought us into theatre in the first place. It's very rewarding to see my colleagues put themselves out there like that and do so well.

If you didn't happen to catch last night's performance, keep an eye out for other Ed. Theatre events coming soon, including The Eumenides, directed by Professor Nan Smithner.

-G