The culmination of nine drama seniors’ Loyola educations will be on display at this semester’s Senior One-Acts Festival. The eight one-act productions, which are all produced and directed by seniors in the department, will begin on April 15.
These projects are a different experience for seniors. Though many are used to acting in different aspects of a production, seniors doing one-acts must build the ensemble (cast and crew) as well as schedule rehearsals and direct the shows.
Seniors are not the only part of the festival. Over 30 other students within the department will participate in the productions as cast and crew, with some students working simultaneously on multiple productions.
According to drama department chairperson Georgia Gresham, the projects showcase a beneficial aspect of having a drama department composed entirely of undergraduate students.
“Since undergraduates at other universities are usually overshadowed by graduate students, most of them don’t have a chance to get this hands-on,” Gresham said. “These projects are a step beyond what many drama departments expect (from undergraduates).”
Gresham compared one-acts to projects for first-year graduate students. Although the one-acts are high-profile projects, seniors are able to propose other types of projects to the department. Some other types of projects include writing scripts, doing lighting and costume design, and writing a thesis.
One unusual proposal approved this year was from Jeremy Ancalade, drama theater senior. Ancalade became the first student to take the role of production manager, a position that will now be offered in future semesters. As production manager, Ancalade acts as a liason between the faculty and seniors directing the one-acts.
In juggling the supervision of eight productions, Ancalade’s job carries a lot of responsibility. Still, he says that he is enriched and honored that the drama department gave him the go-ahead.
“In taking this position and being in this department, I’ve learned not only how theater works but why it works as well,” Ancalade said.
The festival is split into four sections of two plays apiece. The first two pieces produced at the one-act festival are original Loyola products from pen to stage. Becky Johnson, drama communications senior, will direct “Moleda” and Elizabeth Ladach-Bark, drama communications senior, will direct “The Subway Music Videos” inter-connecting parts of a full-length script written by drama communications senior Sarah Shotland. Writing the script served as Shotland’s senior project.
The following week, April 21 and 22, Roch Eshleman, drama theater senior, will direct Tennessee Williams’ “27 Wagons Full of Cotton.” Jessie Terrebonne, drama communications senior, will direct “Eye of the Beholder” by Kent Broadhurst.
On April 25 and 26, Caroline Pelaez, drama communications senior, and Justin Moore, drama communications senior, will present Donald Marguiles’s “July 7, 1994” and James McLure’s “Private Wars.”.
Melissa Beiser, drama communications senior, and Alejandra Cejudo, drama senior, will close the festival with Edward Albee’s “The Zoo Story” and Christopher Durang’s “Naomi in the Living Room” on April 30 and May 1.
Alex Garcia can be reached at [email protected]
