By M.K. Killen
News Assignment Editor
SBU Theater calls on its past comedy success for its presentation of one-act comedy Festival, opening next week.
One Act Festival 7: Latest Hits will feature seven one-act comedies performed in the last 15 years of SBU Theater.
“This is our seventh one-act festival. The last one we did was in 2013,” said Dr. Ed. Simone, professor of theater and director of the show.
He went on to explain that both shows SBU Theater performed last academic year were dramas and it was decided a lighter comedy show was overdue.
“We used to do them every other year, but we got away from that the last couple of years,” Simone said of the One-Act Festivals.
Inspiration for the show, “Latest Hits,” was the compliments received about shows SBU Theater has performed before.
“We thought, let’s bring back audience favorites. Six of the seven plays are plays we have done dating back to 2003,” said Simone. “They’re plays people talked about.”
The plays featured in this One-Act Festival, in order of performance, include: Poof!, Universal Language, The Ferry, Philadelphia, Waterbabies, An Ongoing Examination Of the True Meaning Of Life and Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread.
The play will be presented in three-quarter or thrust seating, with audience members stage right, stage left and at the foot of the stage in traditional proscenium seating.
“I love the three-quarter stage. That’s really fun,” said Simone.
The set of the play is full of angles and curves, with few right angles and flat walls.
“The plays themselves are all quirky, fun comedies, and so we started with some modern art, looking at people, like Piet Mondrian, for inspiration for the set design,” said Rebecca Misenheimer, associate professor of theater and technical director.
The set features a 12-foot turntable that spins after each play to reveal the setting of the next play.
“It’s the first time we’ve used a turn table in the Garret Theater since Dracula (2010),” said Misenheimer.
With seven different plays varying in length, cast and setting, there’s something for every audience member.
“Poof! Is my favorite show because I love the characters and their dynamic,” said Carolyn Haswell, a junior theater major.
“The Ferry is my favorite because I think it’s funny, and has a good lesson to be learned,” said Bree Grayson, a senior theater major.
The nature of a one-act festival allows cast members to portray multiple characters, a task that is both challenging and rewarding.
“Philip Glass was the most challenging by far—movement and those lines were difficult!,” said Haswell. “The most rewarding part was the feeling the first time we ran through and everyone did great.”
The show will run every night at 7:30 pm from Wednesday, Oct. 25 until Saturday, Oct. 28. Free student rush tickets are available with a St. Bonaventure ID one hour before each show.
killenmk15@bonaventure.edu
