Senior One Acts delight packed houses

Posted May 24, 2024

Tristie Christensen

Cub Reporter

David Douglas’ theater department put on this year’s Senior One Acts to packed houses on May 8-11th, showcasing seniors’ directing and designing talents and featuring actors chosen in open auditions.

Directors were Seniors from the Theater 4 class. The plays were mostly comedy with a little bit of romance and drama added into the mix. The A nights started off with Speed Date, directed by Lolek Ortigoza-Caravantes and Erick Leiva; The Customer is Always Wrong, directed by Scarlett Stokes; and The Internet is Distract- Oh look a Kitten! Directed by Demarcus Stephens Jr. The B nights ended with 12 Incompetent Men (And Women)! Directed by Kaitlyn Borresen; Reluctant Profits, directed by Kyra Blair and Richard (Chaz) Guinan; and Strangers, directed by Anastcia Paunovic.

For the plays this year, each one this year had a full house, cheers every time the lights went out and went as smoothly as they rehearsed. Each one had an assortment of unique colors of lighting, textures of the builds and even personalities for diverse characters.

Starting with auditions, there are six shows total and everyone who signs up is required to try out for all six. The auditions have three of the shows a day, having two actual audition days where each student will be put into a small group. After auditions there are callbacks, where the directors and staff submitted forms on the students they selected for each play, set up the cast list and called back the students. Leading roles are scheduled more often for rehearsals but overall they have the same hour set up, from 2:50-4:20, however, some days change.

Directors select all of the scripts, looking online to find the perfect one before asking staff if they can use it. After the script has been selected, they work with designers in intermediate and advanced stagecraft to design the atmosphere of each play. Most of One Acts is students working for students, the teachers and staff are just there to confirm or help out with questions. The scripts tend to be more fun and sporadic and the directors have each student try different parts of the scripts to see which part would best suit them. 

Theater director Michael Givler gave advice for people who are interested but nervous about auditioning and that is, “One Acts are fun,” He said, “They cast just about everyone who is qualified, everyone who turned in the form was able to be cast and found a place whether they got the lead or a smaller role.”

“If you’re thinking of One Acts or any other auditioning around the school you should definitely try out for it,” said Junior Cole Althen. “They are always looking for people, especially guys.”