West Chester University Department Of Theatre & Dance Presents Student Written One Acts
West Chester University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will present the annual STUDENT WRITTEN ONE ACTS from March 22 – 24, 2024. Performances are staged in the J. P. Adler Studio Theatre, E.O. Bull Center for the Arts, 2 E. Rosedale Ave., West Chester. Tickets are $5 at the door or can be purchased online. Performances are March 22 & 23 at 7:30 p.m., and March 24 at 2 p.m.
The Student Written One Acts are one-act plays written, directed, and acted by students about concepts and stories that are most important to them. The plays are created by students taking Theatre 313, a playwriting workshop, and gives them a chance to shine – both onstage and off.
Students gain valuable experience serving as directors, designers, technicians, stage managers, and actors to present this performance of original student work. The goal of these acts is to allow students to learn more about how to “self-produce” their plays and creative works in their future careers.
Students who were interested in directing went through an application process and were chosen by Associate Professor of Theatre, John Bellomo, who serves as Artistic Director of the Student Written One Acts.
The student directors are responsible for bringing these short plays to life – managing scenic, costuming, props, lighting, and sound needs with a team of student design coordinators. Typically offered in the Fall, students in the playwriting course focus on writing, set design, and costuming. They also work on characterization through action and dialogue, and establishing motivation for their characters.
“It is not the usual departmental production process,” said Christen Mandracchia, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Production Manager for the Department, “This gives the students a hands-on tutorial in self-sustainability.”
Mandracchia said the production process prepares students for real-life playwriting after graduation because it is modeled on industry practices.
“In the real world, playwrights have the option to send their new work to festivals like Philly Fringe, Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival, or New York Theatre Festival,” she said. “These happen all over – from local to regional theatres, to Off Broadway and Off-off Broadway, to international opportunities like the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival.”
Understanding these processes is essential for students, Mandracchia said.
“Often, this requires self-producing – i.e. getting your peers together, gathering your resources, and coordinating everything yourself,” she said. “It also gives student playwrights a chance to workshop their plays here at West Chester so they can send them off to these professional festivals in the future and get recognition.”