Evan Gates ~ Guest Writer
Photo by: University of Lynchburg Theatre
University of Lynchburg theatre majors will host the One-Act Play Festival from Dec. 3-6 at Studio Theatre, showcasing rehearsed acts from fall classes.
Professor Jeff Wittman’s students have prepared in seven small groups, each performing scenes from a different play studied in class.
The production allows students to gain experience on stage while directing opportunities are available for upperclassmen.
Senior theatre major Connor McCroy is directing The Agreement, a play written by Douglas Taylor. Compared to acting, the role of director has posed a wealth of new responsibilities throughout the rehearsal process.
“The directors, they’re not just the director,” McCroy said. “We’re going to be lighting design, scenic design, costumers; we’re taking care of pretty much all the technical aspects of the play.”
McCroy’s position allows him to engage audiences with new forms of entertainment.
“If you’re laughing, it makes the cast and people making the show feel so much better and brings them alive. It’s this interaction between actors and audience that’s so unique” McCroy said.
Samira Gharavi, a freshman theatre major, has used the experience as a chance to learn and adapt to smaller-scale plays.
“You can work a lot on details when it’s just two people,” Gharavi said. “In big plays, it’s always looked at as a group, at least in my experience. Here, it’s just the individual person, so everything I do is looked at.”
As rehearsals come to a close before the play in December, Gharavi hopes to continue promoting the theatre program as the spring semester approaches.
“It’s always so different and always surprises people,” she said. “It’s just fun to go to the theater, especially if you know people on stage.”
For more information regarding future plays at the University of Lynchburg, visit https://www.lynchburg.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/theatre/.
Contacts
Connor McCroy
Samira Gharavi
Jeff Wittman
Carder, P. (n.d.). Theatre. University of Lynchburg. https://www.lynchburg.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/theatre/
