On May 2, the Northwestern Theatre Department will be premiering brand-new one acts that were written and directed by NW students.
Freshman Ryan Altman is directing one of the shows, called “Road Trip,” which was written by senior Becky Ochoa.
“It’s the story of two siblings who go on a road trip,” Altman said. “When they get a flat tire, neither of them knows how to change it. Drama and hilarity ensue as these two try to change the tire.”
Altman heard about the directing roles and considered it for a while, then when the department announced that a few more directors were needed, decided he should do it.
For his first experience on the other side of auditions, Altman said the auditions went very smoothly.
“We had lots of great actors and actresses who auditioned,” Altman said.
However, this made the casting process the most difficult part of the process for Altman, who had a hard time deciding who should get which role.
Altman is also acting in “With This Ring,” written by junior Randyl Lynn Getz and directed by sophomore Alexander Lowry.
“The story is about a woman named Laura who, on her wedding day, gets a visit from an old friend,” Altman said. “When they accidentally lock themselves in the closet, Laura’s maid of honor tries to find her and hilarity ensues.”
The director and actor said he has enjoyed the process in “With This Ring.”
“We have just had our first couple of practices, but everything is going well,” Altman said. “Right now, we are mainly focusing on blocking the show, as well as memorization of our lines. Despite this, the chemistry between the actors and the director is great. I’m really excited to see what this show becomes.”
Getz wrote her play last semester during the playwriting class and is very excited to see it performed.
“Writing it, I always had certain images and expectations in my head of what it would look like on stage, so I look forward to see how the actors interpret the text and how they choose to portray the characters,” Getz said. “I am so excited to see what [Alexander] does with the show and how he chooses to bring it to life.”
In addition to writing, Getz is also directing “The Inescapable Memory” by Corrie Hayes.
“It’s a drama about a young woman dealing with the constant memory of a sexual assault,” Getz said.
Getz cares a lot about the show and the story it tells.
“As a director, I strive to tell the story the playwright wants told in the best way possible,” Getz said. “The script is heavy and deals with a difficult topic. I want to make sure my actors feel comfortable with their characters and are able to truly and honestly depict them in a way that will make the playwright proud.”
There are a total of 12 shows being performed on Wednesday, May 2, all written, directed by and acted in by students. The time and the location on campus are to be determined and will be announced shortly.
