Three one-act plays - all written, memorized and staged within 24 hours - will be presented at 8 p.m. Nov. 3 [SATURDAY] in East Central University's Black Box Theatre in Science Hall.
ECU members of Alpha Psi Omega, the national theatre honor society, will host their first-ever 24 Hour Play Fest to raise funds to assist the ECU Theatre’s production needs. Donations will be accepted at the door.
"A 24 Hour Play Festival is an exciting and highly energized theatre experiment," said Dr. Bret Jones, assistant professor of communication and director of theatre. "It works this way: Friday night, writers, actors and technicians will gather together in the Black Box Theatre. Actors and technicians are briefed on their jobs for Saturday and are sent home to get some sleep."
The writers will receive instructions and begin writing at 10 p.m. The final drafts of their brand new one-acts are due at 6 a.m., he said. The actors and technicians arrive at 8 a.m. and begin rehearsals. The day consists of rehearsing, memorizing, gathering technical requirements, and other jobs associated with putting a show together.
"At 8 p.m. three new one-acts will be presented," Jones said. "Actors are memorized, lights have been set, sound is programmed - it is a complete night of one-acts for the patrons. A 24 Hour Play Festival is fun for the students and many who have participated in this in other places have stated how much was learned in 24 hours. It is very demanding, but rewarding for the students."
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