I had the privilege of sitting in on a dress rehearsal before the Playwrights’ Festival. After doing several warm ups, the actors and actresses were prompt in starting the first short play. With not more than two chairs and a table, the Theatre Performance class portrayed their stories. The acting and writing for several of these really stood out. The opening play, The Homecoming Queen, written by Colleen Shugrue ’05, started the festival with a light-hearted performance of superficial girls discussing the upcoming prom. The mood shifts quickly to Life As a Chair by Joni Anderson ’05 and Eric Zweighaft ’04. Bob, played by Eugene Kim ’05, and Janet, played by Cristy Stagnar ’06, had a disagreement over a “tv-experiencing kind” of chair. This glimpse into the couple’s life reveals Bob’s resistance to change while Janet embraces it.

Leaving the City, by alumnae Anna Sophia McKenney ’04, created a sad environment with Girl, played by Risa Scott ’06, and Boy, played by Richard Peterson ’07. This scene shows the hardship of high school relationships.

Revenge, by Grant Ricklefs ’04, also jumped out at me. It did not contain a love story, but instead Father, played by Namdi Macfoy ’07, rebuking his son, Chris, Onassis Tejada ’08, about trying to fight drug dealers down the street. A Russian comedy called All Too Soft a Heart by Vladimir Sollogub was the last performance, which Paulina Shur translated. Unlike any other play, with so many characters, this one had more time to develop the characters and plot.

These quick plays with their witty dialog never bored me. When the actor or actress really enjoys playing the part, it is quite obvious. The students in the Theatre Performance class are clearly excited to present these written works and throughout the rehearsal, the actors and actresses had no problem with Shur giving them suggestions. Sometimes an actor would not be speaking up and sometimes they mumbled their lines making it hard to hear what they were saying. but overall, this year’s RPI Playwrights are prepared and ready to present their works they had practiced for the semester.