One-Act Play Festival gives students directing opportunities

Abbey Whittington, Entertainment Editor

Two student-directed plays, “Lover’s Quarrel” and “Corps Value” will be showing at the One-Act Play Festival 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Black Box Theatre.

Senior theater majors Jason Tague and Imani McDaniel will be directing. Both of the students got the position after doing well in a directing class, a prerequisite for theater majors.

“Lover’s Quarrel” was written by Tague and will be directed by him, while McDaniel will be directing “Corps Value,” written by Brendon Bates, who is a screenwriter and educator.

Tague said the department does not usually allow students to write the plays they direct; however, since Tague wants to write and direct in the future, he was able to make his own play.

Tague said “Lover’s Quarrel” is a serious play for a more mature audience about the problems in a couple’s marriage.

The play will feature a theatrical gunshot during the show.

“The two do still love each other, but the love is kind of lost,” Tague said. “When a friend of the wife comes back, there are even more issues between them and it escalates from there.”

Tague said this opportunity has helped him learn about the writing and directing process along with developing his own process for his future works.

McDaniel is directing “Corps Value”, a play about a father and his son who has just lost his mother. In the story the son is in the Marines, ­­just like his father was during the Vietnam War.

After the son attends his mother’s funeral and experiences an injury from a car bomb, he questions the morality of the war he is fighting in and returns home.

The father tries to stop his son from making this decision, but his son is determined to convince the dad of what he believes is the right thing to do.

The play focuses heavily on loyalty and traditions within families.

McDaniel said that as the director she has to work with the actors in order to show the audience her interpretation of “Corps Value.”

“This position has helped me better my interactions with others as far as leadership goes,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said this opportunity will prepare her for when she pursues a career in theatre.

Richele Miller, assistant stage manager for “Corps Value,” has been working alongside McDaniel to help with the play’s production.

Assistant managers take care of costuming, set design, props and making sure the actors are where they need to be.

“It makes me really happy that EIU is allowing this event to happen for students,” Miller said. “It’s been a really good experience for everyone involved, especially for those that are going to pursue a career in theatre.”

All production for the plays has been student driven, from the writing and directing to costume and set design.

Tickets for the event are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors and employees and $5 for students.

 

Abbey Whittington can be reached at [email protected] or 581-2812.