A Drama Gem The One-Acts

  • The Senior-Director

    High School One-Act Plays

     

    A 31-year legacy and tradition:

    The Drama Department’s

    One-Act Plays

     

    Senior Drama students have been participating in an amazing theatrical experience. Each May, they have been allowed to don the director’s cap for the annual Senior One-Act Plays.

     

    While Drama Director Steve Hailey has been heard to wryly jest about passing on the headaches of directing high school students to others for a change, he has been bestowing on his seasoned thespians a rare opportunity to experience the drama stage from a very different angle, that of the director’s chair. Each year, for the last 31 years, the drama students have undertaken the challenge, and each year, awesome creative energy overtakes the two-night productions in performances that can neither be duplicated nor described by mere words. Rather, these One Acts embody the surprising and genuine thrills of a live-theatre experience—you have to be there to fully appreciate this tiny gem of the Drama Department, situated at the end of a very busy academic year.

     

    Steve Hailey’s Program Notes best describes the One-Act Plays, its history and significance:

     

    It was March of 1979, my first year at SHS, and some of my senior drama students approached me about possibly directing some one act plays of their own. Working together we were able to put together a schedule and adapt what was called the Little Theatre, but was really a large group instruction area, into a suitable performance space. With the audience sitting in the chair/desks and a couple rows of folding chairs, and some flats to delineate the acting space and a few spot lights running off a homemade dimmer board we were able to present our first three one act plays: Susan Glaspell’s Suppressed Desires directed by Lee Kelley, Edward Albee’s The Sandbox directed by Rob Kurtz, and Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit directed by Ken Reed.  Since then, we haven’t missed a year (knock on wood).  Over the last 30 years, 273 senior drama students have successfully directed and produced 245 one-act plays.

     

    However, as you watch tonight’s performances, please remember that we closed Beauty and the Beast  just a little over eight weeks ago.  Also, spring break ate 9 days out of the calendar and auditions were held March 31 and April 1 -- just a little more than six weeks ago!  Also, most of the directors and the players had to concern themselves with the "SMBA Evening in Celebration of the Arts" last weekend and two weeks of AP exams.    Add to that, preparing for the AP exams, conflicts with sports, and the regular vagaries of trying to have a life and you can see why I personally consider every one of these spring time productions something of a “miracle”.

     

                Consequently, some of tonight’s scenery may be a “little” sparse and some of our actors may still be “on book”.  We would ask that you consider what you’re watching tonight as “works-in-progress” and that you try to imagine how much more these very talented students could have accomplished had there been just a little more time and a lot less confusion.  (As a matter of fact, if tonight is Friday, this may be the first time some of these plays have had a run-thru with a complete cast; if it's Saturday, this may be the second time!)  No matter.  I’m proud of them regardless and to my seniors just let me say, “I’m going to miss you -- break-a-leg!”

     

     

     

     

    Congratulations to the Directors and Performers who together offered the following acts in last May’s (2009) One Act Plays:

    THE PLAYS

    (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

     

    When Writing a Love Letter

    by Stefi Dier

    director – Stefi Dier

     

    Boy – Kenney Murray

    Girl – Qxiara Tomasetti

    Critic – Carlie Garcia

    Mother (voice) – herself

     

    Mint Julep

    by Nick Zagone

    director – Roxy York

     

    Roberta – Cathy Rico

    Rebecca – Kelsey Truglio

    Rosetta – Lexi Minogue

     

     

     

     

    Blooperheroes

    by Alex Moncayo & Jared Linehan

    directors – Alex Moncayo & Jared Linehan

     

    Batman – Quentin Hoffman

    Spiderman – Kailey Schnurman

    Aquaman – Lexi Minogue

    Superman – Carlie Garcia

    The Hulk – Derek Hartnett

    Mario – Miles Whittaker

     

    “With great power comes great complication.”

     

    Night Call

    written by Richard Matheson

    adapted by Lauren Dodaro

    director – Lauren Dodaro

     

    Elva – Andrea DeVenuto

    Narrator – Anna Mizzi

    Margaret – Morgan Neems

    Mrs. Finch – Aidan Neems

    Voice from beyond – himself

     

     

    The Consequences of Studying Too Hard

    by Kristen Banaszak

    director – Kristen Banaszak

     

    Johnnie – Miles Whittaker

    Mary Sue – Cathy Rico

    Sandy – Anna Ambrose

    Bud – Kenny Murray

    Marv – Michael Miller

    June – Aidan Neems

    Chip – Dominic Morosofiti

    Police Officer – Derek Hartnett

    Friend – Alivia Wesley

     

     

     

     

    A Lesson Learned from Online Dating

    by Kaitie Ibanez

    director – Kaitie Ibanez

     

    Steven – Quentin Hoffman

    Mother – Qxiara Tomasetti

    Doug – Derek Hartnett

    Laura – Alyssa Coia

     

     

     

    The Poker Table

    by Andrew Vall & Brandon Tosov

    directors – Andrew Vall & Brandon Tosov

     

    Derek – Jim Harlin

    Mark – Andrew Dier

    Amanda – Anna Mizzi

    Caroline – Cassie D'Agostino

    Kate – Rachel Crennan

    Jess – Cassie Samartano

    Drew – Michael Miller

    Mike – Marc Skolnick

    Brittany – Katie McCurdy

    Nicole – Teresa Troccoli

     

     

     

     

    Porcelain and Pink

    by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    director – Teresa Mason

     

    Julie – Kailey Schnurman

    Lois – Georgia Grant

    Young Man – Quentin Hoffman

     

     

     

    Off Duty Disney Princesses

    by Jennifer Mattern

    director – Tara Kennedy

     

    Snow White – Kate Krsnak

    Cinderella – Kim Colavito

    Rapunzel – Jim Harlin

    Sleeping Beauty – Qxiara Tomasetti

    Jasmine – Chrissy Jackson

    Mulan – Morgan Neems

    Anastasia – Madeline Albano

     

     

    The Whitest Kidz U Know

    adapted by Karla Bohaty

    assisted by Ryan Cleary & Mercedes Bohaty

    directors – Karla Bohaty & Ryan Cleary

     

    Trevor – Kenny Murray

    Sam – Derek Hartnett

    Darren – Miles Whittaker

    Zach – Dominic

    Wife – Kim Colavito

    Timmy – Andrew Dier

     

    Note May 14 and 15 May One District Calendar for this coming year’s