Rehearsals have begun for “A Night of One-Act Plays and Monologues”, a show performed by both students who auditioned for roles last week and those who are taking Invitation to the Theater. The show will be composed of six one-act plays and six monologues, and will run at 7 P.M. on July 27th and 28th.
Most of the show will be student-run; those enrolled in Invitation to the Theater will design both sets and costumes for each play. Students will also be running technical aspects of the show, including sound, light, and music.
“In the Harkness spirit of Phillips Exeter, Mr. Ojeni and I believe that students learn best when it’s their job to make discoveries together.” said Mr. Scarbrough, who, alongside Mr. Ojeni and Brad Seymour, teaches Invitation to the Theater.
“From reacting to a scene partner to collaborating on costume designs, students drive the decisions that the audience will see on stage.” Collaboration on stage helps make a show more cohesive; actors–students in this case–learn how to interact around each other off the stage.
Student-led design allows for kids to explore their interests and learn more about theater and the arts. “I like getting to take words on a page that are flat and are boring and then creating them into this world that people get to see for a half an hour,” said Syl Gibson who will be both performing and helping design “A Night of One-Act Plays and Monologues.”
When acting and performing on stage, actors are required to spend time together exploring their characters and using personal experiences to bring their character to life, a process that builds tight bonds between actors.
“There’s a thing about acting that sort of exposes yourself to other people. You make friends that way,” said Syl. Theater provides an easy way build a close group of friends who share your interests, something especially important at Exeter Summer.
This year’s show will be in the same style as the shows of years before; however every year brings something new to the stage.
“Even though I’ve done this for more than 15 summers, I can say with confidence that no two years’ shows are alike,” said Mr. Scarbrough when asked about his experience directing this show in previous years.
“The six plays this summer are entirely different from the ones performed in at least the last two years. The monologues will depend on the actors’ choices, and they always vary widely. What stays the same is this ‘variety show’ structure that lets us present a diverse sampler plate of drama.”
The format of “A Night of One-Act Plays and Monologues” allows for an audience to experience a wide range of different performances in one night.
Students have only two weeks to design and prepare six shows, and will be working hard for the next few weeks rehearsing for “A Night of One-Act Plays and Monologues.” The show, at the Fisher Theater, will be a fast-paced night of comedy and drama. The magic of theater only works when an audience is there to experience it, so be sure to make your way to the Fisher Theater the week after next.