Concord Theater Department Presents Student Directed Plays

Photo Courtesy of Caleb Zopp

On Tuesday, Oct. 2, and Wednesday, Oct. 3, Concord’s theatre department will present student directed plays.

The event is titled “Love, Loss…and Murder: A Potluck of Performances.” The plays will be ten minutes long and will be directed and performed by Concord students and community members.

Karen Vuranch, the theatre director and instructor, is overseeing the performances. The Fundamentals of Directing course requires students to put on these shows in order to experience what it would be like in the role of director. This semester, Vuranch has eight students in the course that will be directing a play, including Chris Cohenour, Tiffany Dillon, Brianna Duckworth, Elisha Fraley, Hannah Gates, Laya Gilpin, Cameron White, and Caleb Zopp.

Vuranch is exited for her students presenting their projects. She says, “The directors are getting a chance to actually be the visionary of the play. The director is sort of the captain of the ship. They pull all the pieces together.”

Through her courses, Vuranch prepares students to create and produce their own ideas. This freeform technique allows the students to learn how to use their own judgment while developing a show.

Brianna Duckworth, a public relations and theatre major, explains a part of the process of directing by stating, “We casted our own actors, we had our auditions earlier in the semester. If you’ve just had the experience on the stage as an actor, there is really only one thing you have to think about. As a director, there are more things you have to consider and focus on. You have to focus on the actors, the set design, lighting, and so many other things.”

She goes on to explain her thoughts on the whole process by explaining, “It is really interesting to see what goes on behind it all. As a director, this is your vision. You decide where everyone goes and what it is going to look like. It is a very neat thing to see.”

Vuranch and the student directors all believe the audience will be able to take away something from these plays. Vuranch states, “They [the audience] will get good theatre experience, they will be entertained, they will be entranced. Some of the plays are serious, some are funny, one is sexy… so they will laugh and cry, and they will grow as individuals by seeing these remarkable students bring to life some interesting characters.”

Plays begin at 7 p.m. on both nights in the HC Paul Theatre on the Concord Athens campus. It is open to the public and admission is free, but donations will be welcome.