Theater department presents student-led One Acts

BY SYDNI WHITFIELD Staff Writer

Ouachita’s Department of Theater Arts will present its biannual One Acts Festival directed by students on Thursday, May 4 and Friday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theater. The festival is first come, first serve and qualifies as an arts engagement event.

Providing a large variety of entertainment with a different student director for each piece, the One Acts will have audience members on the edge of their seats anticipating what will come next.

Each semester, every senior is in charge of finding a published one act. They then hold auditions that are open to the entire student body to cast the show. Finally, they work together with other student directors to host the One Act Festival as the final project for directing class.

Seniors, who have studied all of the different elements of theater whether it be acting, lighting, costuming, design or makeup, are now granted the opportunity to take everything they have learned and apply it as director in their final project for the class.

Watching five different plays by different authors will give audience members a fun, unique night. The shows will provide contrasting moods with a total of two comedies, two dramas and an absurdist play being performed.

Wyatt Ashlock, senior media and film major, is directing “Loaded Language” by Elizabeth Shannon; Landon Denman, senior theatre arts major, is directing “The Sandbox” by Edward Albee; Tyranni Hubbard, senior theatre arts major, is directing “The Proposal” by Anton Chekhov; Hailey Johnson, senior theatre arts major, is directing “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell; and Payton Mixon, senior musical theatre major, is directing the “The Ugly Duckling” by A.A. Milne.

Hubbard’s show features a young man, Lomov, who decides to propose to his neighbor, Natalya, but they keep fighting over various topics. She shares her experience being a director.

“I love getting to work with the other directors to create a fun and creative atmosphere,” Hubbard said.

Student directors have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of being a director through the One Acts Festival. They also have to solve any problems that may arise and figure out how to best help their cast embody the roles they were given.

“My favorite part about my experience as a director is the unconventional rehearsals I have done with some of the cast. Two of the actresses in my show play young kids on a playground, so we had a rehearsal focused on getting into a young mindset. We watched “Bluey,” a children’s television show and went to the park to play,” Ashlock said.

Ashlock’s show is about a young girl, Lilah Gordon, and her imaginary dragon, Toucan, who, during a school recess unlike any other, decide to set off on a special adventure to help Lilah earn dragon wings of her own.

“The One Acts will provide something for everyone to enjoy,” Ashlock said.

Ouachitonians will not want to miss these exciting performances. Students that attend the One Acts Festival will spend their night watching shows directed by their friends and fellow classmates. Not only will they be supporting them, they will also be provided with entertainment, memories and, surely, a good laugh.