Students to direct theatre scenes Friday and Saturday

The four student directors are Isabella Ashley, Reidun Hammer, Riley Perry, and Trista Topil. They will be directing scenes from their final project for Craven’s Directing for the Stage course (TH 437). Ashley, Hammer, and Perry are dividing the scene from Mars Needs Women into three sections, while Topil is directing Women in Heat.

Ashley said the experience of dividing a scene into three parts is a unique challenge.

“There's three of us directing different portions of the same show, so you have to be able to collaborate with the other directors and their vision for it, too,” Ashley said.

Porter Anderson portrays Arnold in Mars Needs Women.

“It's a story about a guy named Arnold who's in love with a girl named Sally. You get to see what young dumb love looks like in a comedic fashion. I'm excited because Arnold is a lot like I was in high school, still trying to figure things out with the ladies,” Anderson said.

Hammer said Women in Heat is about three women friends, Kim, Marge, and Charlene, who go on a vacation to Key West.

“They find themselves having some comedic interpersonal conflicts about what they believe is right,” Hammer said

Hammer said moving from a drama like The Children’s Hour which the department staged last week to the larger-than-life comedies requires an adjustment in the level of energy she expends or conserves.

“In a drama, you’re trying to make it as believable as possible. But for comedies, it's almost the inverse. If you allow yourself some freedom with it, then that's where you can grow with it,” Hammer said.

Ashley said her approach is the opposite.

“It's almost easier to do drama than comedy, I think. It's harder to be funny to everyone, but it's easy to be viewed as dramatic,” Ashley said.

Anderson said he entered the process thinking acting was easy, but he has discovered a new appreciation for the craft.

“I get to see them acting and directing, stepping in and out of character. It's been incredible to see the level of talent. Watching them is very inspirational. They work hard, and you get to see the fruits of their labor. Come see the shows. They're free. They're fine and you'll leave feeling good,” Anderson said.

Women in Heat

Setting: A condo in Key West, present day

Cast

Kim: Isabella Ashley of Rapid City, S.D.      

Marge: Riley Perry of Box Elder, S.D.

Charlene: Reidun Hammer of Dubois, Wyo.

Crew

Director: Trista Topil of Lincoln, Neb.

Stage Manager: Chloe Shatswell of Box Elder, S.D.

Mars Needs Women, But Not as Much as Arnold Schechter

Setting: A coffee shop in Passaic, New Jersey, in 2006

Cast

Laurie: Rachel Hill of Glendo, Wyo.

Arnold: Porter Anderson Russellville, Ark.

Sally: Keira Wasenius of Oxford, Neb.

Director: David Craven

Balthazar: Levi O’Dell, CSC alumnus

Velichantra: Trista Topil of Lincoln, Neb.

Crew

Director (beginning): Riley Perry of Box Elder, S.D.

Director (middle): Isabella Ashley of Rapid City, S.D.

Director (end): Reidun Hammer of Dubois, Wyo.

Stage Manager: Chloe Shatswell of Box Elder, S.D.

Light Design: Chloe Shatswell of Box Elder, S.D.

Sound Design: Trista Topil of Lincoln, Neb.