One (Final) Act

For typical students, a final consists of research papers, group projects, presentations, and cumulative tests. But finals for students in the COMM 320 directing class, look a little different. Students’ hard work and dedication to theatre, as well as everything they have learned about directing and making shows come to life, is about to pay off in their final weeks in the course.

A student currently taking the course, provided an outline for what goes on throughout the semester leading up to the final show.

Student Director: Sydney Lang

One junior, student director Sydney Lang, has developed a particular passion for directing and is using this opportunity to gain experience that goes beyond her acting career. She shares what that directing truly means to her by saying,

“It’s taking your ideas and actually making them real,” she said. “There’s a lot of pressure—you’re not just being graded, you’re also responsible for your actors. You don’t want to make them look bad, they’re relying on you.”

From casting to directing, planning costumes, and scheduling and leading rehearsals, Lang has led the entire process. It’s not just a class that teaches, but also something that gives Lang a challenge. It all leads to one final production, One-Acts.

But, before the final show, there is a mountain of prep work behind the scenes, which Lang mentioned isn’t something the audience is always aware of. Lang said each student created a “prompt book,” which includes everything from line-by-line character analysis to rehearsal schedules, prop lists, and blocking diagrams. Which, at first, seemed like a tedious task, but she admitted that it turned out to be one of the most valuable tools in the process.

For Lang, her One-Act challenge came in the form of comedy, a genre she admitted was not something she usually worked with.

“I love drama. I’m comfortable with it. But I picked a comedy on purpose, just to push myself. And it’s been rough,” she laughed. “But I have a fantastic cast.”

Lang’s One-Act Process

Her final One-Act, titled “The Sure Thing,” is a clever two-person script structured like the improv game Buzz, with constant interruptions and new lines.

Lang was drawn to her show based on a little One-Act book from her professor. After reading 15 to 20 plays online, she decided on “The Sure Thing,” which best one that fit her criteria, and allowed her to step outside of her comfort zone.

“I read a lot of plays for fun,” Lang says, “but this one I had read before and it just kind of kept coming up, so it was kind of God being like, ah, you know, just do that!”

After getting it approved, she was quick to get to work on typing up the script. Then, Lang described the long audition process that consisted of everything from advertising to actors around Olivet’s campus, coordinating audition times, to sitting for about 4 hours watching auditions.

Lang knew she wanted one guy and one girl for her show, as well as comfortable actors, which she admitted was a necessity for her show. Lang was determined to find actors who were both funny, but also ones that were capable of memorizing lines.

Lang says she was immediately drawn to Dexter Arens, who was a good friend of hers and one she had seen act before. Jacqueline Heavner was also a major addition to the set, as Lang describes her as “exactly who she was looking for.”

Heavner is also playing a role in another student director’s show called “Three Guys and a Brenda.“

Working on Set

Heavner and Arens, both experienced actors, describe their time working on Lang’s set of “The Sure Thing” as an experience that is both exciting and unpredictable. Both agree that this comedy is hilarious and is a challenge for each of them because of the show’s unique, fun energy.

“I’m worried about her being able to break me. I probably will end up trying my best not to laugh, but she’s very funny with her [Heavner’s] deliveries,” Arens said.

Although many rehearsals can get repetitive, both noted that they have found joy in working together with Lang and they are excited for the audience’s reaction in real time.

“We’re having a great time, it is so much fun, but something about people actually laughing at what you are doing just makes the whole thing feel more real,” Heavner said.

Lang similarly noted that she is excited to see the whole thing come together. This process has taught her to face her fears, embrace a position she felt she wasn’t capable of, and trust both herself and her cast.

As Lang and the actors prepare for their final production on April 25, at 7 p.m. in Sims Blackbox Theatre, they are eager to experience watching their story come to life for their audience.

Rehearsal Photo Gallery