The University of Idaho theater arts department still has 17 more plays to perform before the semester ends. The 10-Minute Play Festival started Thursday and runs through Saturday.
These short plays are written, produced, directed and acted by students. Starting at the beginning of fall semester, directors met with playwrights to begin planning the upcoming productions.
Senior Angela Super directed the play “Stage Fright” by Sarah Pappin. This was Super’s third time directing a complete production. Super said she worked closely with Pappin during the writing process, and she is impressed at how the production has evolved in the past three months.
“The cast is extremely experienced. They have more experience on stage than I had directing,” Super said. “It’s exciting finding those new surprising places where the actors do something different. It’s very exciting to see if it is going to work.”
“Stage Fright” is about a couple who go ghost hunting in a theater and discover more than just a ghost.
“It’s about their journey together to find themselves and at the same time to hide their pain from the world,” Super said. “It’s about bearing your soul.”
Discovery plays a major role not just in “Stage Fright,” but in the other productions as well.
For Director Travis Gray, one such discovery came in understanding A, the main character of “Death in Comedy.”
“We have kind of discovered that A is kind of a neurotic mess,” Gray said.
A is a young woman who isn’t dying, but is planning her own funeral. While the other character B is her lawyer. Gray said playwright Megan Thornton left a lot up to interpretation in her script, even down to the gender of the characters. It was so ambiguous that originally the production was depressing as opposed to funny, Gray said.
“Megan went back to revising the script and revised it until we rediscovered the comedy,” Gray said. “We’ve made it funny again.”
As with some of the other plays, “Death in Comedy” will play twice during the festival, both times with a different cast and under different direction. Gray’s production will run Friday evening, while the other runs Saturday.
Gray said he has not seen the other take on the script, but is interested to find out how another director and cast portray it.
Ray Pritchard, director of the play “Alarm” also written by Megan Thornton, said working alongside the playwrights has been the most rewarding part of the experience.
“It’s a new opportunity for me, I’ve been directing for several years,” Pritchard said. “It’s been fantastic, getting to experience this new side of theater, working with the playwrights.”
Pritchard said the most challenging part of the production was that, if anything, he and his cast had too much time to prepare.
“It’s been a challenge in the rehearsal to keep it fresh, because to the audience, this is supposed to be the first time this is happening to these characters, when in reality, we’ve been rehearsing it for three months,” Pritchard said.
Despite problems, Pritchard said he was pleased with the final product.
“I love the characters, I really think the audience will be able to connect with them,” Pritchard said. There are two nights left to catch these 10-minute plays. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the UI Hartung Theater. Admission is free to UI students and general admission is $5. Friday
“Do You Love Me?” by Katie Medford.
A newlywed couple’s honeymoon camping trip will end in chaos when a rather large and secret obsession is revealed.
“Yellow Cake” by Megan Thornton.
“Coffee Talk” by Quinn Hatch. The relationship between two friends changes forever with a cup of coffee.
“Death in Comedy” by Megan Thornton.
What if this time was your last? This question haunts a young woman as she plans her funeral while attempting to skirt the issue of death.
“Scale” by John Remington.
“Ski Trip” by Adam Harrell.
A romantic anniversary ski trip sours when a handsome ski pro is thrown in the mix.
“Blanket Primary” by Sandra Hosking.
Does commitment force a loving woman to stay trapped under the blanket of a man? When everything is cold and covered, it’s easy to think there’s no way out.
“Drenched” by Sandra Hosking.
When Lara and Chet are caught in a rainstorm they have to deal with more than just the elements of an unfriendly storm. The rain reveals pent up emotions from the past still linger.
“Stage Fright” by Sarah Pappin. It’s frightening to take risks, but it is that fear that drives us — sometimes to do astonishing things, even the unthinkable.Saturday
“Todd Buys a Bagel” by Adam Harrell. Todd is having a difficult time forgetting his past. Even one word can trigger a relapse in this play about past relationships, new beginnings and, of course, bagels.
“Ski Trip” by Adam Harrell.
“Death in Comedy” by Megan Thornton.
“Coffee Talk” by Quinn Hatch.
“Stage Fright” by Sarah Pappin.
“Angst” by Mattie Rydalch.
Tim and his daughter Patricia attempt to connect and make sense of a mutual tragedy. In an insignificant world, how can we find significance in each other?
“Drenched” by Sandra Hosking.