One Act Plays get creative juices flowing

By Online Editor

Many consider the theatre stage to be a place of Shakespeare, musicals and strange set design. Young people are more detached from the theatre now than ever before, having easy access to film and television, or, God forbid, Youtube videos.

The stage is an alien environment to the young as it can be hard to find something to relate to in theatrical productions, or at least that is the assumption of many.
Fortunately, there is still a large grip of those who would keep theatre alive, even here at Missouri Western. From April 15-18, theatre students will perform six “One-Act” plays, each put together solely by the students involved.

Hopefully, since they aren’t performing underneath Shakespeare’s shadow or some other centuries-old production, students not familiar with theatre will be able to more easily identify with what is on stage. Freshman Brian Duskey, a theatre/cinema major, feels that the One Acts are a great opportunity for students to witness something new and relatable.

“Sometimes when a play that was written 100 years ago, a lot of people still get it, but not everyone. With the One Acts, the writers are of the audience’s age, so we share the culture and the mindset that they do,” said Duskey, who is the director of “The Fountain” and the writer of “Sins of the South.”

The One Act plays, beyond entertainment, also serve a valuable role in creating a group dynamic and camaraderie between the students involved. Since everyone is writing, directing, or acting in each others’ plays, the creative juices truly begin to flow, forming an experience that no one of them could have put together alone. Sophomore Jesse Glyn Frazier, a theatre/video major, expressed the joys of a collaborative creative process.

“It’s great because I really get to experience both sides of the project. As a director, I am able to take someone else’s work and mold it into something that is unique to my vision. As far as acting, I am just blown away by the different approaches the other directors are taking. It’s humbling and I’m learning a lot,” said Frazier, who is directing “Dear Diary” and acting in “The Fountain.”

Putting on these plays is a fantastic way for Missouri Western’s theatre students to hone their craft, and show off their various creative chops on the stage. Since the plays are short and move quickly, unlike most performances, those involved get to put a glistening shine on their work in the time available.

Senior Keith Routh, a theatre/video major, thinks that the shortened time frame is a good way to work out all the details and streamline the act.
“When working on One Acts, we have the benefit of putting all of our focus into a condensed story. This allows us to try to perfect every moment of stage time,” said Routh, who is directing “The Lobster.”

The plays will provide the perfect ground for the students to show off what they’ve got to the public, exposing them to professionalism and teamwork, without being looked over or directed by a teacher, or being hampered by performing a classical play to a “T.”

Since these are made by the students, for the students, the One Acts could possibly lead to new artistic, theatrical grounds. Jesse Frazier thinks that the plays will be a great way to show off our theatre students’ skills in the field.

“A lot of extremely talented people are putting their future and passion on display, no different than the gallery everyone passes on the way through Potter,” Frazier said.
The One Act plays will be performed from April 15-18. at 8 p.m., in the Black Box Theatre in Potter Hall.