The Moorpark College Performing Arts Center came alive on April 23 with the opening of the “Student One Acts” showcase at the Black Box Theater.
This semester, the Theater Arts department prepared seven original one-act shows, taken from concept, to page, to stage, entirely by students. The shows also featured performances from the THA M14 improvisational comedy team and the inclusion of puppets from Moorpark College’s puppetry courses.
Theatre Arts Professor Suzanne Fagan said she was particularly excited about this semester’s collection of shows as the show’s producer.
“I think the lineup’s incredible. I think it’s got a nice variety. We have some really tear-jerker ones, almost like romantic dramas, which are really well written,” Fagan said. “I love seeing how funny the students can write and how funny they are in their performances, how many of them have comedic talent. We have improv, which is great to showcase our improvisational class. We have puppets, which are a hoot and a half, and great to show our puppetry and performance class.”
The show was split into two bills with alternating showtimes over the two-week run.
Bill A featured “Time in a Bottle” by Amanda Desoto, “Echo” by Dalana Green, a set from the improv comedy team and “The Stomach of Agamemnon” by Alex Latham. Bill B included “Recollections of Eternity” by Amanda Desoto, “Lord of the Fries” by Artimis Ott, the improv comedy team, “Brewed Awakening” by Ava Cuilty and “The Whispering Woods” by Sophia Heirshberg.
On opening night, the Performing Arts Center corridor was abuzz with pre-show energy, with final costumes and set pieces coming together. From casting to critiquing, directors were hard at work since January, working with their writers, casts and crew to bring their shows to life.
Heirshberg, a Moorpark College student as well as the writer and director of “The Whispering Woods” in Bill B, said she was “a little nervous to see how it’ll come out, but excited to see [her] play come to life.”
Director of “Time In A Bottle” from Bill A of the “Student One Acts,” Moorpark College student Jon Brewer, shared a similar outlook.
“There’s always a bit of nervousness before the opening of a show, although I’m not incredibly nervous. I think like it’s gonna be it’s gonna be great,” Jon Brewer said.
Jon Brewer also shared that he and his cast took on a “minimalistic” approach to blocking and set, while other directors took their scripts in notably different directions.
Whether students like Jon Brewer chose to keep their production simple, or director of “The Stomach of Agamemnon” Josh Brewer’s decision to go all out, Fagan expressed that she’s frequently surprised by the innovative variety of approach she sees from the “One Acts” showcases.
“Creatively, half the time I watch and I’m like, ‘That is more innovative than I would have thought of,’ and I’m like, ‘That is so brilliant.’ I love that — when they outshine my brain. I’m like, ‘Wow, these kids are good.'” Fagan said.
This creativity and variety often start with the writing, as the Theater Arts department regularly collects one-act scripts for consideration for future showcases. Fagan invites writers and those curious about writing to submit their stories for the fall showcase.
Those interested in submitting a script for the fall one-acts are advised to email their script to John Loprieno at [email protected]. Click here for more information on Moorpark College’s Theatre Arts department.
