Student directors show their stuff
Six plays.
Six days.
Though it may be a creation of sub-Biblical proportions, beginning Monday, Jan. 19 and running through Saturday, Jan. 24, students from the advanced directing class in the theater department at Utah State University will attempt their own invention of the stage by performing six contemporary one-act plays.
In Utah State Theatre’s annual “Evening of One Acts,” specific acts from full-length plays are produced by students in the advanced directing class under the direction of Utah State Theatre faculty member Kevin Doyle.
The students have been preparing since November, and next week their hard work pays off.
According to Student Director Lanny Langston, producing a play as a student is quite a liberating experience.
“As students we have a little more free reign so we can do things we can’t necessarily do on the main stage, so it’s a little more cutting edge theater than you can usually see in Utah,” he said.
Jeremy Gordon, director of public relations for the theater department, agreed that the student-produced plays should have a great appeal to university students.
“The fact that these are student-directed projects should make it more appealing to students in general because these are their colleagues that are going to help put it on and perform it,” he said.
This year all plays will be performed at the Caine Lyric Theatre in downtown Logan (28 West Center St.) and will begin at 7:30 p.m.
“Last year we held the performances up in the studio theater and we were turning people away every night,” Gordon said. “So this year we’re having it down at the Caine Lyric Theatre. It’s a nice old theater, so it’s a great place to do plays like this.”
Two different plays, which run about 30-45 minutes, will be produced each night with varying degrees of content and subject matter. While the directors stress that all of the plays are well worth the trip, viewer discretion is advised. Performances suitable for all audiences will take place on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Those plays with material that may not be suitable for all audiences will take place on Wednesday and Saturday.
Langston, director of “The Author’s Voice” by Richard Greenberg, said his play is more than just entertaining.
“I really enjoy the questions raised about what, as a society, our concepts of beauty are and if what we believe to be ‘true beauty’ is perhaps somewhat skewed,” he said. “From start to finish the play is entertaining, full of dark humor, surprises and twists and turns.”
“The Author’s Voice” will be performed Wednesday, Jan. 21 and Saturday, Jan. 24.
“I Never Saw Another Butterfly,” written by Celeste Raspanti and directed by Lee Anderson, is the story of one of the 15,000 children who passed through Terezin, a military garrison set up as a ghetto during World War II and a stop-off place on the way to the gas chambers in Auschwitz.
“Through a young girl’s eyes we see prejudice and stigmas placed on Jews and how this child, among many others, overcame it and kept her self worth,” said Anderson.
“I Never Saw Another Butterfly,” will be performed Monday, Jan. 19 and Thursday, Jan. 22.
Directed by Tami Eastman, David Ives’ play “Words, words, words,” is farcical due to its improbable plot, comical situations, and exaggerated character acting. This comedy portrays three monkeys as they attempt to realize the idea that monkeys typing into infinity will sooner or later produce Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”
“This play takes a satirical look at man and his need to dominate the randomness theory,” Eastman said. “It is extremely funny.”
“Words, words, words” will be performed Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Friday, Jan. 23.
The unusually titled play “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds,” by Paul Zindel, is the study of an embittered, vindictive widow and her two young daughters, and is described by director Jessica Dilley as a multi-layered play of profound depth.
“The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds,” will also be performed on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Friday, Jan. 23.
“Luv”, written by Murray Shisgal, is a story of Harry Berlin, a man struggling with the meaning of life and his place in it. According to director Mindi Mckinnon, the play is a “comedic love triangle full of mistakes, misfortunes, triumphs and tragedies.”
“Luv,” will be performed on Monday, Jan. 19 and Thursday, Jan. 22.
And last but not least comes “Boston Marriage,” by Pulitzer prize winning playwright David Mamet. Taken from the 19th century term coined by Henry James that has come to refer to lesbian relationships, “Boston Marriage,” explores love in a lesbian relationship with a humorous approach.
“This is one of the funniest plays I have ever read,” said director Tyson Smith. “I have enjoyed every minute I have spent working with the script, the actors and the process of seeing the work come together.”
“Boston Marriage,” will be performed on Wednesday, Jan. 21 and Saturday, Jan. 24.
“I think all of the plays will appeal to someone, but maybe not in conventional ways,” Langston said, “and if these men in our schools want girls to think they’re culturally aware they’re going to need to take them to some plays. This is a good opportunity because all the plays are free.”
Gordon also added, “theater is a very good date night out. The movies are all right, but nothing beats the theater.”
Seating is general admission and free to the public.
-mattgo@cc.usu.edu