One-Acts exchanges student performances for critiques

Brianna Carmack, Entertainment Editor

One-Acts is a tradition hosted by Thespians every year where students will get the chance to dip their feet in the work experience of a director, whereas the other students get to perform an open scene in front of the directors. After many years of hosting the One-Acts auditions, Thespians has decided to take on the tradition and host for another year.

“Students read what’s called an open scene, which is just kind of a scene that’s nonsense,” Thespians director and drama teacher Ginny Pape said. “They read that scene and all the directors watch. Then the directors pick their top few actors that they want to see again.”

They get the chance to sort out the roles and watch each audition that takes place during One-Acts.

Instead of Pape deciding the roles, students who are more advanced get a chance of actually directing the One-Acts.

“I really really enjoy directing,” junior Max Barbe said. “So far, directing has been really interesting because it’s not something I had experience with.”

The One-Act Auditions took place in the drama room, after school last Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Monday and Wednesday were the auditioning process and Thursday was the day of call-backs.

Unlike most of the productions the Manhattan High Thespians put together, One-Acts aims more to the students who aren’t looking for as much of a commitment to playing a character on stage. The goal is to get students who are guaranteed to perform a chance to branch out and show their fellow students what they are capable of. 

“I think is a great opportunity for people that don’t want a huge time commitment of the normal main stage play,” senior Nathan Pickans said. “It lets people explore different plays that they never would get a chance to do because they’re directed by students. So the input that they have is much stronger than they would have from being in an actual production.”

Thespians welcomes One-Acts to everyone in the future. Since there are no cuts, this gives students the opportunity to practice and gain skills from performing in front of some fellow students.

“I hope that people come and watch One-Acts, because this year it’s changed to Rezac, which gives a lot more space for people to perform and come up with better ideas,” Pickans said. “It would be great to see it grow even more in subsequent years.”