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Avery Liu

STUDENT + SUPPORT. Theater assistant Akie Kutsunai sits with new director Maggie Fried, student director, breaks down her one-act play, The Bald Soprano.

Snow is falling, and there’s a chill in the air, which means it’s time for the annual One Act play auditions. The One Act plays are short skits, generally 15-30 minutes long, the length of one act of a traditional play.

Something unique about the One Act plays is that instead of theater director Eric Severson, they have student directors, seniors running shows or co-directing.

The One Acts often focus on including a hint of comedy.

This year, the three One Act plays are: Wasp, directed by Quenby Wilson, The Bald Soprano, directed by Maggie Fried, and, the competition One Act, Dogg’s Hamlet directed by theatre director Eric Severson.

“I can’t possibly name everything that directing teaches you. It requires such a wide variety of skills,” Fried said.

The One Acts also provide a unique chance for students to enter into the MSHSL One Act play competition.

Severson said, “I wanted to offer the students an opportunity to try something different.”

The auditions entail acting out scenes with other actors for practice before the individual auditions. The participants typically get around 30-45 minutes to practice, then they line up and go into Driscoll one by one.

Sophomore Maddie Pierce said, “You’ll tend to act out other scenes with people, and it’s fewer monologues.”

One Acts are a great way for students to get involved in theatre, directing, or even just the SPA community.

Severson said, “It’s a really fun and engaging experience for everyone that’s involved.”

Theatre and the one acts are a great way for students to meet new people, have something fun to do after school, and be a part of a team, according to the directors.

“Directing is a really good way to be a part of the community,” Wilson said.

This year marks the 19th year of One Act plays at SPA, which began in 2004. The One Acts are set to commence in the Huss Center Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. Admission is free.