One act festival begins

Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. each evening in the Studio Theatre in the basement of the Music Center. The performances are free, but tickets are issued due to limited seating; tickets may be picked up in the campus bookstore. If empty seats remain at show time, those without tickets will be seated.

Directors of the one acts are enrolled in Play Production, an upper-level course in Concordia's theatre program. The students must analyze the play, conduct auditions and run rehearsals. "It is a lot harder to be a director than I thought it would be." said junior Heidi Graham, director of "Mr. Preble Gets Rid of His Wife." "I enjoy it immensely, but find it very challenging. I am learning how to choose and how to put my vision into reality."

The shorter nature of the one acts provide an opportunity for the student directors and actors to explore all of the aspects of creating a theatrical performance in a compact time frame. Because multiple plays are performed each night, the emphasis is on acting, costumes and properties rather than set design.

"This project gives them confidence that they can produce and direct a play after they graduate," said Dr. Mira Wiegmann, professor of theatre arts and director of the program. "I enjoy mentoring young directors through what is for most of them as first experience in the role of a play director." All of the plays produced this year are comedies.

Festival I - April 13, 14, 15; 7:30 p.m. Studio Theatre

"The M Word" makes fun of marriage as a yuppie financial and social legal agreement.
Director: Jonathan Ross, junior, Clinton, Iowa
Assistant Director: Carl Myhre, junior, Pillager, Minn.
Cast: Nathan Neugebauer, freshman, Gering, Neb.
Katelyn Wollman, freshman, Kingsville, Md.

"An Even Exchange" features a husband and wife's budget dispute. Director: Luke Weidner, junior, Aurora, Colo.
Andy: Justin Metcalf, freshman, St. Louis, Mo.
Effie: Stephanie Christensen, freshman, Seward, Neb.
Mrs. Winslow: Mariel Nuckols, sophomore, Austin, Texas