The student-directed One Acts have been canceled for the second year in a row due to time constraints after this year’s numerous Whitman Drama events.
One Acts are short plays performed with few props and costumes as a part of the Festival of the Arts. They are open to all students, with parts given to almost all who audition.
After Talent Show, the music trip and spring break, there was little time to audition and prepare for One Acts. The Drama department decided to call them off even though they have been well-received in years past.
Last year, the plays were cancelled because drama students were preparing to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland during the summer to perform the musical Spring Awakening.
“One Acts give a lot of people who aren’t normally involved a chance to act and perform,” said senior Caroline Duffy, this year’s Whitman Drama producer. “We were all pretty upset that we couldn’t do them this year because we really like doing them.”
One Acts differ from the other large-scale productions since they’re informal and largely student run. Junior Hannah Chenok acted in one of the short plays her freshman year and enjoyed the casual atmosphere.
“They’re really fun because they’re just short, usually comedic skits that are different from some of the heavier material of typical Whitman shows,” she said. “It was an easy way to get involved in theater that wasn’t a huge time commitment.”
The Drama program will most likely bring back One Acts next year due to their popularity, Duffy said.
“I was bummed that they were canceled,” Chenok said. “I would’ve done it both years had they been running.”
Clarification (5/28/14): One Acts were never scheduled and therefore never officially cancelled. However, students expected that they would be continued this year.
Student • May 21, 2014 at 11:35 pm
Where do you get off mr gerken. Here is the truth. An article was written. The point of it is on point and accurate. A few nit picky things you call it out on. For the sake of clarity however the article makes sense. A good article it was. Good day sir.
Christopher Gerken • May 21, 2014 at 10:13 pm
It’s a shame that the B/W didn’t take time to fact check with the head of the department before publishing this article.
One Acts were not cancelled this year or last year. You can’t cancel something that wasn’t scheduled. This article seems to lead one to believe that the One Act Play festival is part of Whitman Drama’s regular programing and connected with Festival of the Arts…which it isn’t. In the past ten years there have been only 2 One Act Play Festivals, and while they were presented just prior to the Festival the Arts they were never part of that program.
Every year, when I calendar the season I look at the big picture to see what is possible to accomplish with the many MANY Spring activities…there were two seasons when there was a bit of time to produce a One Act Festival and there were students interested in doing them. I’m surprised to read there is any disappointment considering only 1 student even approached me this year asking if it was possible.
Whitman Drama proudly produces three very large productions every year: a musical, a play and the talent show. It takes much time and energy and the majority of our resources are dedicated to making them quality productions. Occasionally Whitman Drama (with time and interest) will produce additional smaller productions like the One Act Play Festival.
Unfortunately One Acts will not “most likely” be returning next year as plans are being made to offer another performance opportunity at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Just thought I would set the record straight…and suggest the B/W contact me directly for future articles so correct information can be provided.
– Christopher Gerken, Whitman Drama Director