One Act Bonanza at ISU This Weekend

The School of Theatre at Illinois State University is offering a slew of one acts this weekend. A slew of FREE one acts! With nine different plays on the schedule, you have a choice of two programs, each performed once on Saturday and once on Sunday. These plays are being presented by ISU's Directing Workshop and Advanced Lighting classes in Centennial West 202 under the acronym FT1A, which seems to stand for Freshmen/Transfer One Acts. This leads me to believe that the actors will be ISU freshmen and transfer students. But I'm just assuming that based on the FT1A thing. I may have to attend to figure that out unless someone from ISU wants to pop in and give us the scoop.

What they are calling "Block 1" contains the following plays:  

Reasons to be Pretty 

By Neil LaBute

Director: Paige Hutchinson

Designer: Sarah Pindak

 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 

By Richard Abbott

Director: Joey Maman

Designer: Mark Caspary  

Tape

 By Jose Rivera

Director: Jesus Estela

Designer: Scott Friedrich  

Looking for Normal 

 By Jane Anderson

Director: Joey Maman

Designer: Steve Lopez

Debate 

By Ethan Coen

Director: Owais Ahmed

Designer: Kris Kirkwood

And "Block 2" includes:

Chamber Music 

By Arthur Kopit

Director: Tammy Wilson

Designer: Andrew Blevins

First Sorrow 

By Franz Kafka

Director: JD Cannady

Designer: Meredith Francsis

Defying Gravity 

By Jane Anderson

Director: Casey Peek

Designer: Nic Vazquez

Wasp 

By Steve Martin

Director: Jesus Estela

Designer: Dan Alore

On Saturday, April 14, Block 1 will be performed at 2 pm, with Block 2 at 7 pm. And then on Sunday, April 15, they'll flip, with Block 2 at 2 pm and Block 1 at 7 pm. 

"Drowning Ophelia: A New Rock Musical" with a Sneak Peek Just for You

Although I don't think they've officially left ISU yet, JD Cannady, Eliza Morris, Mickey O'Sullivan, Zack Powell, Patrick Boylan and Tommy Malouf are taking their act on the road, with performances of a new rock musical called "Drowning Ophelia" already set for New York. But here's the good news -- the "Drowning Ophelia" troupe is offering a sneak peek for friends and fans here in Bloomington-Normal before they take off for NYC.

The BloNo preview will play this Saturday, the 18th, with back-to-back performances at 7:30 and 10 pm.

Cannady is directing; he also wrote the book of this musical, with Zack Powell providing music and lyrics. The "Drowning Ophelia" info tells us this is about Ophelia (yes, the one from "Hamlet") in purgatory where she's hanging out, waiting for Hamlet. "Using an eclectic mix of rock styles and an onstage band consisting of Shakespeare’s most lovable clowns, Ophelia takes over to raise arms against men... well just one man. In DROWNING OPHELIA, we come to understand one girl with some issues and a microphone and the story of Hamlet told through an exciting theatrical concert of sex, drowning, and rock ‘n’ roll."

Who doesn't want sex, drowning and rock 'n' roll? Come ON!

If you're in Illinois, these two performances are your only chances to catch Ophelia (who looks like she will be played by Eliza Morris, judging from the poster). If you're in New York, you can pick from six performances taking place at UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place, scheduled from Saturday, February 25, at 7 pm, through Sunday, March 4, at 1 pm. In New York, "Drowning Ophelia" plays at a different time every night, so be sure to check all the details here.