“One-Acts” Review: One cast member’s perspective

The+senior+directors+of+One+Acts+this+year%3A+top%3A+Calum+Lowe%2C+Samantha+Manthei%2C+Ana+Luisa%2C+Andrew+Biallas%2C+Meghan+Kiefer%2C+Addy+Petrine+bottom%3A+Jay+Steinke%2C+Aaron+Delaney%2C+Keira+Denker.+Photo+courtesy+of+Monica+Salonga

The senior directors of One Acts this year: top: Calum Lowe, Samantha Manthei, Ana Luisa, Andrew Biallas, Meghan Kiefer, Addy Petrine bottom: Jay Steinke, Aaron Delaney, Keira Denker. Photo courtesy of Monica Salonga

The student-directed One-Acts this year were an amazingly unique experience, both to watch and to be in. I was an actor in the “Hallmarks of Horror” one-act, which was such a fun cast to be a part of.

I’m very proud of and grateful for our directors for overcoming obstacles such as how prop-heavy our show was, the switch from the Black Box Theater to the stage in the Norris due to Covid restrictions, and the fact that our time for rehearsing was cut two weeks short to make time for “The Good Doctor” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.“

When I saw the other two one-acts for the first time, “Bad Ideas for Bad Television Shows” and “Employees Must Wash Hands Before Murder”, my chest hurt from laughing so hard. 

I could tell everyone had a lot of fun with both the acting and cast-bonding aspects of directing, acting, staging, and, of course, performing. 

Although some of the jokes were aimed at a specifically teenage audience, the One-Acts were something that everyone attending could enjoy.

As for the one-acts being student-directed, this is definitely something pretty interesting that impacted the production of them. 

There were three senior directors for each one-act. who chose their own one-acts to direct. Having student directors also made the rehearsal environment a lot more relaxed, but, of course, everyone worked hard. 

Thanks to everyone’s kindness and energy, it barely felt like work.

Obviously I can only speak on my own experience, with the “Hallmarks of Horror”, but my heart goes out to both of the other casts for their insanely funny shows and the very strange pranks they pulled on us.

And what would the One-Acts have been without the lighting and sound department, especially with all the sound effects needed for the Hallmarks of Horror? 

The audience was amazing on all three nights, too; to everyone who came out to see the show: Thank you and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.