By Hope Sandusky/nw news editor
Theatre Northwest will present SHORTS: An Evening of 10-Minute Plays March 5-7.
The production features six plays, three directed by students and three directed by faculty. The plays include Two Truths and a Lie by Mary Michael Wagner, The Philadelphia by David Ives, Seeing the Thing by John Cariani, The Bear by E.J.C. Calvert, Sure Thing by David Ives and Sad and Glad by John Cariani.
“This is an actual genre of plays,” NW drama associate professor Joshua Blann said. “Each play is five to seven pages, about 10 minutes in length, but is a full
Photos by Pamela Bakowski/The Collegian
story with a beginning and end. They don’t rely on context clues.”
The style of play was popularized by the Actors Theatre of Louisville, which used the style as a way to help new playwrights gain exposure.
“We’ve been wanting to do this style for a long time,” he said. “This year was finally the right time. It allows us to use more students, and it’s easier than a full one production because it requires less in scenery and props and lets us work with everyone’s schedules.”
Student director Jordan Woika said he found it difficult at first to switch from being an actor to a director.
“I had to be careful not to get into the actor mentality,” he said. “I had to not put what I would do as an actor in these roles on my cast but rather keep it open and vague and allow for the actors to discover for themselves. It’s also a challenge focusing on all of the characters and storyline versus just on myself and my own character.”
Two Truths and a Lie, the play Woika directs, is about a couple who’ve spent the past five years living together and are in the last moments of their relationship.
One of the actors in the play, NW student Travis Brents, said he liked having the shorter play times because it gives the actors more control in the performance.
“Since it’s shorter, we have more time to expand on the meaning of the play,” he said. “Even though there is less to work with, there is more freedom in that for us to do what we want with it.”
Sad and Glad features a man in a bar who runs into his ex to find out she is there for her bachelorette party before she gets married.
“It makes for an awkward but very funny conversation,” NW student William Reyes said.
The plays are mostly comedy in nature, and while they don’t rely on each other, they are connected by tone and theme.
NW student Heather Rooks said she was familiar with this style of production.
“I did a series like this before, but it was with one company and one director, so it’s different having each play have their own cast and director,” she said.
NW student Callie Lamb said while she enjoyed having more time with this set up, she did miss the aspect of a big production.
“This doesn’t take up as much time, and we’re able to work with everybody’s schedules, but I almost miss looking forward to rehearsals everyday,” she said.
Photos by Pamela Bakowski/The Collegian
The cast hopes that audience members will enjoy having all the shows.
“I hope they’re entertained throughout the entire thing and can appreciate the difference between this and a regular production,” Woika said.
Reyes said he hoped it would be a movie-like experience for the audience.
“When you see an awkward scene in a movie, you cover your eyes and cringe for the characters,” he said. “I want the audience to feel the same way, to feel real emotion. That’s what makes it the best to watch.”
