On Friday, September 21st, Southside Theater had performed its annual ‘One Act’ (or ‘One Page’ as some call it) Play Festival, a presentation consisting of 53 teacher, parent and student written short plays. Many performers auditioned and participated in the festival that contained pieces ranging from topics like parodies of the History Channel’s documentaries to advertisements for the sale of live human organs.
Most audience members did not expect what was coming next after the six second, fast-paced drum beat that signaled the beginning and the end of every new act. Student directors had taken the short scripts and created blocking to every short story, bringing an array of different moods to each set of design and dialogue on paper. The directors included Anthony Forte, Stephanie Occhipinti, Dan Ahl, Emily Keefe and Kyle Kulaga and the festival was produced by Kelly Lozo. The six of them worked after school non-stop for numerous days, directing play after play to ensure a flawless performance.
Mr. Kozak, South’s Theater/Performing Arts teacher and head supervisor of the whole project, first got the idea for the collage of brief plays in New York fifteen years ago. He liked the whole concept back then and decided to bring the plan to Middletown South three performances ago in 2010. A good number of students who participated in the first presentation almost three years ago performed or directed in this years’ production. It was clearly a great time judging by the collective attitudes both on stage and off. The enthusiasm was bouncing off the walls of the colorful classroom connected to the stage as each performer prepared to go on stage; most of them immediately setting up for a new performance directly after exiting stage left.
Considering the large number of stories, each was succinct yet packed with a certain something that explained a lot in that short time period. For example, the opening play was one of the most intricate yet simple plays of the whole show. It was one that one would watch and think nothing of it, even be perplexed by it. It was titled “Collective Consciousness” and written by Eliza Brennessel and it was less than a minute long. It began with a group of actors lined up on stage, one breaking from the file and running ahead, almost cutting the others and bumping into an actor (called “B”) in the process. After this whole quick pantomime act, the one called “B” asked daringly where the nearest bar is. A sarcastic actor then replies: “Probably in Helsinki!” to the random and untimely question. Obviously, the bar the actor was looking for was not in Helsinki.
Although every play was unique in its own right, the 53rd and final act, titled “The Awkward Zone”, was especially notable. Written and directed by Anthony Forte, this play illustrated different instances where characters would get caught in awkward positions thus enter into “the awkward zone”. The two actors spoke monotone, stood still on stage and kept straight faces even though some of the scenarios they spoke of that usually happen and embarrass average people day to day were hilarious. This included something such as asking a woman how many months pregnant she is when she is not, and ending with actually putting the audience into “the awkward zone” by describing how uncomfortable it was to be watching these two guys tell you about awkward situations.
Each one of these short plays was a wonderful collaboration of dramatic nuances, immensely creative in their simplicity. They were honest, engaging, and even poignant at times. Seeing the production was quite entertaining and for its many participants and performers, it was even more so.