Unbeknownst to the average observer, the University of Idaho campus is full of students with hidden talents.
Talents which UI senior and Theater Arts major Lauren Walters said are often showcased at auditions for the Cornerstone Theater Troupe“s 24-hour Theater Festival.
“It”s an opportunity to show off talents you might not otherwise be able to show off,” Walters said. “I”ve met students who could sing opera and even someone who was a fire-eater.”
Walters said auditions, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the Forge Theater, are open to everyone, and individuals are able to audition with materials of their choice.
“People can audition with literally anything,” Walters said. “I”ve seen people juggle, I”ve seen people do dramatic readings of Craigslist ads “¦ last year, someone came in with a bunch of balloons and sang Whitney Houston while popping them, it was the funniest thing.”
Walters said the festival takes place in the course of a day, starting with auditions and ending with performances the following night.
Before auditions, Walters said directors and playwrights are given challenges that they must incorporate into their plays.
“Ten minutes before auditions we have directors and playwrights drawing challenges out of a hat,” she said. “It can be anything from a stock photo they have to center their play around to something like one character can only speak in clichés the whole time or the entire show has to rhyme.”
Walters said these challenges prompt directors and playwrights to look for the most unusual talents or characteristics throughout the course of auditions.
“We really want to see all of the different skills people have to offer,” she said. “This whole process is about having a good time and seeing all the art we can make out of it.”
Walters said following auditions, directors and playwrights choose their cast and almost everyone who auditions gets casted in a play.
“After casting, playwrights go home and write all night long,” Walters said. “They give us scripts by 6 a.m. and then everyone shows up at Shoup Hall to rehearse all day long.”
Following the rehearsal process, Walters said students will perform the plays at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Forge Theater.
The festival is held as a fundraiser for the UI student theatre organization, the Cornerstone Theater Troupe. Tickets are $2 at the door.
“We do this festival all in 24 hours, it is complete madness but it”s going to be so much fun,” Walters said. “We use this as a fundraiser for Cornerstone Theater, so we can fund student projects throughout the year.”
Walters said the festival will feature a total of nine plays, each about five to ten minutes long.
“This is a great opportunity for people to switch things up and try something new,” Walters said. “It”s a crazy thing to do, but it”s so much fun. It will be such a great time.”
Corrin Bond can be reached at [email protected]