Last night's performances kicked off Masque and Gown's annual One Acts festival. The student written plays will show again tonight at 8:00 and tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 in Pickard Theater's Memorial Hall. Though the premise of the program has changed from the tradition of past years, the quality of the show surely will not suffer.
As always, three plays have been chosen from a pool of student's submissions to Masque and Gown. However, instead of the final performances acting as a competition between the three "Acts," Masque and Gown has decided to simply treat the show as a festival.
Masque and Gown President Colin Dieck '04 believes that this approach will be a "fairer way to recognize the accomplishments of the playwrights, the directors, and the casts," all of which are Bowdoin students. Kerry Elson '05, one of the three winning playwrights, also notes that this year's attitude has created an atmosphere of "less pressure," which, in turn, should mean more fun.
The One Acts have on occasion been presented as a festival previously. The decision this year was also based upon the plays themselves, which, Dieck adds, represent "wide stylistic and thematic variety."
The senior writer-director duo Jon Perez and Faye Hargate team up for "Liberation Theory," about a young intellectual who finds himself amidst a world of corruption while traveling to the west for graduate school. Freshman Kelly Rula is directing Elson's "womanhollywood" about three actresses from the 1920's. And Theo Salter '07 is the director for "Green Room," a comedic commentary on the stereotypical scandals of the theater world. Playwright Ben Rosen '07 insists his show is a must-see "because it has a monkey and a drag queen. What else do you need?"
Festival coordinator Rachael Leahy '07 is "very excited to see these plays go up." She calls her first stint as production manager "an interesting learning experience," but promises a great show. As this year marks Masque and Gown's 100th anniversary, actors and directors are aiming for the top of their game, ready to please and impress their fellow students with the creative and original material. So, pick up your tickets are at the Info Desk in Smith Union. Cost is free, but the entertainment value? Priceless.