DIRECTORS ACC students take reins for one act plays

Allen Community College students will take a seat in the director’s chair next week for the Student Directed One Acts. Five students have selected plays, student actors and scenes for their sets.
Debra Francis, a student studying criminal justice, has selected “The Proposal,” by Stephen Bittrich. This isn’t Francis’ first rodeo. She directed a one act three years ago.
“It was time to do a drama. I usually do a comedy,” said Francis.
The play is about a man and a woman set in 1815 England. The man wants to marry the girl not because he loves her but because he wants her. She likes someone else. He somehow blackmails her into marriage. Jeri Troyer and Colton Schubert are acting in the one act.
“I have a great cast,” Francis said. “It’s been real fun working with them.”
The setting for the play is in a garden so Francis has worked with set designers to create that environment.
“I’ve always loved acting,” Francis said. “You can disappear into another character and another world. It’s nice being on the other side and creating the world.”

MATTHEW WINN, a theater major, is directing “Who’s on Faust?” by Mark Saunders. With not wanting to give too much away Winn said the play is about the Rev. Billy Rae Goodson, played by Jordan Fountain, and Beelzie, played by Liesl Wilhoft. Beelzie is coming to take the reverend’s soul and makes a deal with her. Jonathan Faust, played by Michael De Los Santos, walks through the door during the deal and gets sucked into the problem.
“It has a supernatural feel to it,” Winn said.
Winn helped direct plays in high school, and while he has always enjoyed acting, being the one directing is a change.
“I prefer to be the one acting,” he said. “Timing is the most difficult part of the directing.”
He has designed a sanctuary in a church for his set.
“Be prepared to laugh a lot,” he said. “It’s a funny one to see.”

Nick Thomsen is taking on a former student’s creation at the suggestion of Tony Piazza, ACC Theatre instructor. The play is  “What Love Does to You,” by Shelby Cruz.
“We used to be best friends when we were going to school together,” Thomsen said.
Thomsen graduated from Allen with a degree in psychology. He said while at ACC he became acquainted with the theater department through the urging of friends.
“After that I started becoming a regular,” Thomsen said.
Thomsen said there has been some difficult parts of directing.
“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink,” he said. “I’ve learned that you have to compromise for what you want and what your actors can do.”
The plot involves a party for an engaged couple and through the night the audience learns how each character is connected to one another. It has a cast of nine actors.
Thomsen said scheduling was the easiest part.
“I had one or two people come in at a time to work together and then I would have the whole group come in at another time,” he said.

Sarah Price is a jack of all trades when it comes to theater. This is her first time directing but she has stage managed, worked on building sets, choreographed and acted.
“It was the only thing left on my list to do,” Price said with a laugh.
Price, a psychology major, hopes to keep the audience laughing with her selection of “Superhero Support Group,” by D.M. Larson. It’s a comedy about the struggle of being a Superhero and having powers isn’t a good thing.
“It looks like a really bad AA meeting,” she said.
Price said they have a spoof on characters like Superman, Batman and Catwoman.
“I liked reading comics and I’m not a very serious person,” she said. “I want the students to come and laugh.”
A few practices had to be canceled due to winter weather but other than that rehearsals have run smoothly. Price doesn’t see it as a challenge to direct her peers.
“They all respect me and let me take charge,” she said. “I find it harder to direct younger children.”

Amanda McDermott, who was unable to meet for an interview, will direct “The Sin-Eater,” by Don Nigro.
The student-directed one acts begin at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 through March 1 at the Allen College Theatre.