By Charles Davis
11 One Acts 2 Nights
11 One Acts, 30 Actors, 2 Nights. Every year PSC Theatre majors get a chance to become student directors for a series of One Acts. A One Act is a series of plays with no connection and each play is 10 to about 30 minutes long.
Over a semester the student directors must pick a play, no longer than 30 minutes, they must also choose their actors, set rehearsal times, and have the actors perform it by the end of the semester.
With 11 directors, all with different styles and perspectives, the audience will be in for a treat. Jessica Freeman, Michael Cole, Justin Jones, and Jamie Edmonds are just a few of the students that will be directing.
“I chose my one act because it made me very happy and actually made me laugh out loud,” Freeman says.
“I chose mine because I could relate to it on a deeper level. Two characters want to leave their hometown and have a not so great home life so I can really connect to it.” Says Cole. He says that the most difficult thing about directing is that it’s not something that’s natural. It’s something you have to learn.
“There 2 reasons why I chose my one act. The writer for the play is an absurdist writer and it’s also a parody of Tennessee Williams work,” says Jones.
“I chose my one act because it always come down to that one and it just connected with me,” says Edmonds. “There definitely has to be a balance between friendship and authority because everyone is so close in age or older. Plus you don’t want them to hate you afterward.”
With hard work and dedication to their craft, the students find that there is much more that goes into directing than they first thought, such as finding the balances between being friendly but also being serious about the roles everyone is playing.
“Yea one of the most awkward parts, for me, is that one of my actors is 40 and I’m 19 so telling her what do it can be awkward and intimidating at times but you just have to be professional.” says Cole
While these students are getting a taste of the director’s world, some would prefer to stay on stage. However, some students would still love to tackle both positions and face the challenges.
“I love being an actor but being a director gives you more of an authority over how the act goes.” On the negative aspects of directing Edmonds goes on to say that if you are a director and one of your actors drops the ball that your head is the one on the line. “As an actor, you only have to worry about yourself and it doesn’t seem to affect as many people…You really want to jump in head first but you can’t because you have to make sure things are done in order and done right.”
With all the difficulties and joys of doing these one acts the students can all say it has been a great experience and they can not wait to share what they have been working on with the public. The show opens April 24th through the 25th and admission is free for all. The show starts at 7:30 pm both nights at the Pensacola State College Main campus, in the Ashmore Auditorium.
The one-acts being performed are as followed:
Monday, April 24th:
“10,000 Cigarettes”
Directed by Jaime Edmonds
“Cellphone Zombies”
By D.M. Larson…
Directed by Cecelia Kuhn
“The Ugly Duckling”
By A.A. Milne
Directed by Jessica Freeman
This is the story of one king’s plan to get his “plain” daughter a husband.
“Sun Dried”
By Edna Ferber
Directed by Eric Bossard
“Fresh and New CIA Torture Techniques”
By Nick Zagune
Directed by Marcus Hurtson.
A ridiculous game show where the prize is the American Dream.
Tuesday, April 25th:
“Desire, Desire, Desire”
Written by Christopher Durang
Directed by Justin Jones
A parody of Tennessee Williams, Desire explores one woman’s descent into desperation and desire.
“Hard-Boiled”
By Deborah L Frockt
Directed by Loren Stone
“Clubs”
By Conrad Bishop and Elizabeth Fuller
Directed by Christopher Mandel
“Hard to Be Happy”
By Julianne Homokay
Directed by Rachael Nipple
A story of lost love rekindled.
“Philosophical Inquiry at The Edge of a Cliff”
By Matthew Calhoun
Directed by Ashley Kellenberger
An examination of one’s worth and pricelessness.
“Waning Crescent Moon”
Directed By Michael Cole