This quarter, the Theatre Production class will be staging the first drama in several years, “Not on This Night” by E. Y. Jones.
The one-act play is set in a French kitchen during World War II.
There are three actors in the play and a fourth registered student keeping a video record of the process of producing a play at this level. The actors live on campus and the videographer lives off campus.
“They are learning their lines right now,” Mrs. Freeman, the theatre instructor stated. “The fewer the actors in a play, the more lines they have to learn.”
Not only do the actors need to learn their lines, but two of the actors need to learn accents since one character is French and another character is German.
The actors, two work-study students and a volunteer student are working diligently on set building.
There is typically a lot of construction and behind-the-scenes work involved in producing any play, but this one is especially busy.
The SCC music department and the theatre department are discussing scheduling their performances for the same night in December, but they have not reached an agreement yet.
Freeman stated that this is the first serious play the students have produced in a few years. The play addresses issues of war, enemy relations and peacemaking during the Christmas season.
“One of the reasons for picking this play,” Freeman said, “is because it has the right combination of characters for the class and because it has a good, beneficial message.
“Not an uplifting message, but it deals with the war issue appropriately.”
The play is being performed on Friday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. The play is free for students and faculty that have the ID and it is $5 per person to the general public.
“It would be nice to see the students and faculty come see the play and support the students,” Freeman added.
Freeman concluded, “This is a challenging project for the students and they are excited to see a production of which they are proud.”
Every fall and spring quarter, the theatre department produces a play for the enjoyment of students, faculty, staff and the general public.