Randolph seniors to direct Winter One Acts production Feb. 21-23

Three Randolph College seniors will showcase their talent and work during The Winter One Acts, a production scheduled for Feb. 21-23, that will feature three short plays.

Liz Beamon ’20 will direct Sam Shepard and Joseph Chaikin’s Savage/Love, Latekia Bryant ’20 will direct Agatha Christie’s The Rats, and Shakiah Johnson will direct Tennessee Williams’ This Property is Condemned. The performance will be held in the Lab Theatre (LG 203) in Leggett Building on Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Jaisen Williams ’21 will serve as student costume designer, and Ho’ola Bush ’20 is the student scenic designer.

“These students have been in charge of every aspect of these plays, from casting, leading rehearsals, to guiding a team of designers,” said Stephanie Earl, a theatre professor. “This is their chance to pull together everything they’ve learned and put it into practice on a play of their choosing.”

The students selected riveting, but rarely produced pieces from three well-known playwrights.

Bryant, for instance, has always loved Agatha Christie’s writing. “I was excited to come across a one-act by her that I could use as my senior capstone project,” she said. “Directing this play has been about so much more than just establishing a creative vision and having the pieces fall into place. You have to find a way to connect with the actors in order to get the performance you’re looking for. You also have to find the best ways to communicate with designers, technical crew, stage managers, other directors, and anyone else who is involved in the process of bringing this entire production together.”

Johnson hopes the audience is able to connect with the characters in her play, This Property is Condemned. “This is an opportunity that not many actors in undergrad receive,” she said. ” My favorite part of directing this show is that I get to explore my own creative process and make decisions that I would not be able to make as an actor.”

Earl believes these types of experiences provide students with additional opportunities to put what they are learning into practice.

“I believe student-produced plays are the most important work we do in Randolph’s theatre department,” Earl added. “I hope the Randolph and Lynchburg communities take the opportunity to see this work and support our students.”

Tickets are available at www.randolphcollege.edu/tickets/

Randolph Students: Free

Other students: $5

Randolph faculty/staff: $8

Seniors: $8

General Admission: $10