One Act moves play from ‘dress rehearsal’ to show time

“Memories!” The cast of this year's One Act closed the curtain with that very line. The cast created some core memories over the past couple months as they spent numerous hours and late nights together working hard to make their play, and entrance to One Act competition,  a success.

 In “Dress Rehearsal Disaster,” a comedic 40-minute play set during the last dress rehearsal for the cast of The Olive Branch, overachieving student Danielle learns from the clueless stage manager, Penny, that their director will not be at rehearsal due to fake-it-itis. Danielle and Penny lead rehearsal, but as they struggle to keep the quirky cast organized, they begin to wonder if the show must really go on.

Besides competing at different schools in hopes to make it to the state theater festival, the One Act performed for the public on November 15 and 16 at Alberta Kimball Auditorium. Freshman actor Lucy Amel learned  how the One Act competition process works. 

“The One Act is a play like normal, but is only around 40 minutes long,” she said. “The One Act is a competitive play that goes through three levels - District, Sectionals, and State. You have a time limit to perform and you get judged on your performance.” 

First year English teacher and director Alexis Novak recognizes the amount of work required for a production like this. Novak and the cast needed to balance the pressure of not only performing for the community but for judges in competitions as well. 

“The process was definitely a lot of work; it consisted of a lot of rehearsals and a lot of reflection,” she said. “I definitely think it was stressful knowing we were going into a competitive event, but it was a lot of fun being able to grow the characters and see the students grow with each other.”

Along with this tedious process came obstacles. Junior Wilson Clark felt the cast struggling to focus on the task at hand. 

“I think it was hard for us to get organized, sometimes we’d get off topic or get distracted by something,” he said. 

For Novak, the switch of paradigms before the one act made things challenging, and learning to not compare to other competitors proved difficult.

“My biggest obstacle this year was being a first year director,” she said. “Also, as a group, understanding that you're not competing against another group but against yourself; it’s difficult for some people.”

Putting together a show is certainly not a walk in the park; however, the positive atmosphere made the obstacles easier to overcome. Freshman Oliver VanThiel feels that the people made the One Act experience great.

“I enjoyed working with all the other actors on set,” they said. “With a comedy, working with other people can be especially fun - the cast and crew are both amazing. Ms. Novak and our assistant director, Mr. Martilla, made sure that we were doing what we were supposed to be while still having fun, and I think that overall it was a great experience.”

Clark appreciated the change from last year’s serious and melancholy play to an upbeat and fast paced comedy.

“This is the first comedic one act that I've worked with, so I think it’s an interesting shift seeing how it contrasts with previous shows,” he said.

Novak feels the competitive aspect of the One Act creates a different experience for students, and the pressure of the competitions forces them to think about the play in a new way. This generates a feeling of professionalism amongst young and aspiring actors and actresses.

“I think it’s a good experience for students because it frames theater in a different light, where instead of it just being something fun for entertainment, you get to experience the competitive side,” she said. “It definitely creates more of a professional sense in having that extra responsibility. I also think it's great because you get to experience a lot of other schools' performances that you might not get to experience otherwise.”

Freshman Emily Kasubaski loved the sense of family that One Act created and reaped  all the benefits from new relationships.

“Being in the play brought me into a community that supported me, and I've met many new people that have really inspired me and have become some of my greatest friends,” she said.

According to senior Layla Molash, the One Act play is a great opportunity to let loose and be creative.

“Anyone with a fun and expressive mind would love One Act,” she said. “It’s a great way to get out of your shell and meet new people.”

Novak believes that theater provides opportunities for everyone and sees the benefits of being a part of a play. 

“Theater is an open space for any one; it’s an art form that is meant to entertain and I believe anyone can find a show that they enjoy,” she said. “I would recommend that students who are interested in acting and want to be pushed to better their skill try out for the One Act. The One Act is competitive so that adds a level of intensity. It encourages teamwork, commitment, growth, and fosters a wonderful theater community.” 

The gift of meeting new people and achieving personal growth is the perfect example of risk versus reward, according to VanThiel. 

“While auditioning is nerve-wracking, even if you don't get in, there’s still plenty of opportunities to help or be involved,” he said. “You make tons of friends and learn lots of new skills along the way.”

Logan Martilla, assistant director of this year’s One Act, feels strongly about these actors and how they made this play unique.

“My favorite thing about One Act is watching the students make their own play with their character choices and watching everything unfold on stage,” he said. “ I am so proud of the students and the passion and creativity they brought to the table.”

Novak concurs and gives credit to those who come up with so many creative ideas that she might not have thought of herself. She also believes this show allowed students to express themselves and discover new unique parts of themselves.

“I love seeing how creative the students are,” she said. “A majority of the fun little quirks in the show were not made by me;  they were made by the students. I think it’s so fun to see the students explore a different side of themselves through a character being able to let go and just have fun, being able to create something yourself is really awesome.”

by Sophie Fletcher and Tenna Ruetten

Published December 2nd, 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue III