Two polar-opposite student directed one-acts open tonight at 7:30 in Cave Theatre.
"Blind Date" and "Spring Dance" are the last productions to be performed in the Cave series this school year. Both one-acts are each only about 30 minutes long and bring two completely different emotions to the audience.
Angela Forshee, a junior theatre production double major in directing and theatre education, directs the first one-act, "Blind Date."
Forshee said "Blind Date" is a comedic show in which the character Dolores Henry is attempting to set up her oddball niece Sarah Nancy on dates with local boys. Sarah Nancy is not having it. When Dolores is out of options, she invites the character Felix Robertson over in hopes that he will be the final suitor.
Forshee said that she picked this show to direct because comedy is her strong suit. She said people have even compared her humor to Kristen Wiig's.
"I just naturally gravitate towards comedic situations," Forshee said, "but I think there is a little something for every kind of personality in this show, whether you are loud like Dolores, shy like Sarah Nancy or anything in between."
Forshee said she is looking forward to a scene in her one-act that has lots of awkward and angry tension. She described it as an, "oh my God, I can't believe that just happened," moment.
Chelsea Mead Jackson, known to her friends and cast members as Mead, directs "Spring Dance."
The senior photojournalism and theatre directing major described her dramatic play as tricky.
The main character, Annie Long, portrayed by senior musical theatre major Ella Raymont, has dissociative identity disorder.
The character lives in a sanatorium in 1928. Annie Long projects her problem onto three male characters in the show who do not exist. She made them up so she does not have to deal with her problems. Halfway through the show, she becomes lucid and realizes what she has created, leaving her with the decision to live in reality or stay in her own creations.
Mead is a firm believer in picking work that speaks to her in some way and said she definitely connects with her one-act.
"I love the piece," Mead said, "I've had a great time working on it. It's a hard one; it makes you think."
Mead said that the audience should prepare to think a lot when watching Spring Dance. She said each audience member will reconsider the way he or she personally handles situations and approaches problems.
She said the audience should also look for a learning lesson in "Spring Dance": do not take advantage of things loved the most.
Mead's favorite scene is a moment she wants the audience to discover for themselves that gives her chills. She described it as tense, heartbreaking and wonderful because of it. She said it shows the real human aspect of life.
Mead encouraged students of all majors to come see the Cave production.
"It's a new experience; it's something different," Mead said. "I think even if people don't enjoy it they'll walk away thinking about it and that's important."
Both Forshee and Mead find the Cave to be a perfect space for their one-acts.
"I love the intimacy of the space and how the audience gets to be right with the actors, but it's hard because it is so small and you can only do so much with it," Forshee said.
Mead agreed with Forshee about the Cave bringing an intimate experience between actors and audience.
"I'm totally satisfied with the Cave," Mead said. "I have a very simplistic set with just a park bench and French doors, so that just kind of went even nicer with the Cave."
The comedy of "Blind Date" and drama of "Spring Dance" balance each other out and give the audience a full range of emotion.
"It is the best of both worlds all in one night," Forshee said.
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