Seniors Learn the Ropes of Directing Through One Acts
Students get a chance to be on the other side of the stage and direct their own projects April 20-21
Aicha Beye, Alijah Riles, and Sebastian Tabers in “The Timid West.”
April 17, 2023
“The student has become the teacher.” A very well-known phrase, and in this case, for the seniors of Liberty’s theater program, it’ll describe their final achievement of their high school theater career. The senior-directed one acts, which take place April 20-21 in the auditorium, are an opportunity for seniors to try something different and explore new passions. It’s their time to finally change roles and go from actor to director, and they love it.
“They’re a chance for seniors to use all the skills they’ve learned and focus on directing,” said junior Aicha Beye, actor for both “The Timid West” and “Duet for Bear and Dog.”
For some of the seniors, this is an entirely new domain.
“It’s very different because I’m used to being the one that’s told what to do, not telling people what to do,” said senior Shane Wolz, who is directing “At the Frog Fountain.”
Overall, the change from being on stage to suddenly being the one in charge can be intimidating. Wolz says sometimes he stands on stage with the actors the whole time instead of watching because he’s not used to the role swap. For those who have had experience directing in the past, like senior Morgan Feinstein, it’s a good way to look back on how far they’ve come.
“It was kind of weird at first because you just have to figure out how everyone is coming to you for everything,” Feinstein said. “But then it just started to click.”
Even though the seniors may have their own concerns about directing, many of the actors and crew members they work with have enjoyed their leadership skills. Sophomore Rachel Church, stage manager for “Dauntless: The Wit of One,” said, “It’s really cool to see the seniors take charge.” Not only that, Beye commented, “They understand the struggles and they are really flexible and easy to work with.” The seniors should be proud of themselves and all the effort they’ve put into the show to make it the best it can be.
As seniors, the one acts can be a very important experience, given that it’s the last show they’ll ever be involved in at LHS. Freshman Mak Barnes described it as, “Their final horah.” And it’s a fun one, too. Almost everyone involved in the one acts has gone on about how much they enjoy the show and what it brings to the theater program. As a newer tradition, it’s interesting to see how quickly the one acts have become a sort of milestone for seniors.
The most amazing part of this show, however, is how incredibly supportive of the seniors the entire program is, whether they’ve known them all throughout high school or have just met them this year. It’s truly heartwarming and the bond they all share is clear in the work they do on and off the stage.
