JACKSON, Tenn. — Jan. 17, 2001 — 51社区's Department of Communications Arts will present "A Night of Student Directed One Acts," Friday, Feb. 1 and Saturday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. each evening in Union's W.D. Powell Theatre.
Featured student directors will be juniors Graham Hillard and Cristy Thomas and seniors Lindy Glas and Andrew Holladay. The performances are a final requirement for a theatre class that the students took in the fall called "Fundamentals of Directing."
"From the vantage point of the students, these performances allow for the practical application of the theories that they've learned," explained David Burke, associate professor of communication arts who taught the class. "It's nice to be able to take your book knowledge and apply it to a very specific situation. Not only do they have to direct, the students have to produce it, promote it and make the play and the overall evening work from every angle."
Burke said that because there are four one acts being performed in one night, the students also learn about working together. "There's a lot of team building," said Burke.
The four shows, performed by Union students and alumni, run the gamut of styles and emotions. "Tone Clusters" by Joyce Carol Oates and which was directed by Hillard tells the story of a family's realization that their son is a murderer. "Overtones" by Alice Gerstenberg, directed by Glas, explores a person's inner thoughts versus the outer presentation. "Long Walk to Forever" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., directed by Holladay, is a comedy about relationships, and "Old Ymir's Clay Pot" by Norman Beitz, which was directed by Thomas, takes a spiritual theme, telling the story of a potter.
Tickets are $3 per person, and the public is invited to attend. For more information, contact the Theatre Box Office at (901) 661-5105.