This month, theatre and creative writing students gather on campus together to share their craft at the Malaspina Theatre from January 27 to 30. The VIU One Act Festival, held each spring semester, is a 4-night event, showcasing a collection of short plays written by students.
This year, the festival features four plays:
- The Dance by Jennifer Cox
- This Is Acting by Brigette MacDougall
- What’s All the Kissing about Anyways? By Jessie Smith
- The Party Monologues by Paige Mader
The Satyr Players, a club formed by VIU students, has held the event annually, and hopes this year will draw more student attendees. The Players also work with the playwrights to audition actors for each role, as well as provide sound, lighting, and a stage manager.
“At first I was intimidated by the idea of directing a play for the stage,” Jennifer Cox, a VIU creative writing student, said when she accepted to direct her play. Her play, The Dance, is inspired by the lives of Cox’s grandparents, from post-World War II to present day. Cox said it “pays tribute to their love for one another and the family they built together.”
“I knew that if the actors connected with the characters, the audience would too,” Cox said.
The One Act Festival is a perfect opportunity for students to showcase their work, and because each one act play takes up so little time, there will be four plays shown each night of the festival. Liz Kraft, the festival coordinator, is excited to continue this year, and hopes to grow the festival in the coming years.
Doors open at the Malaspina Theatre on VIU campus at 7 pm beginning on January 27. Tickets are $5 each night. For more details, visit the event page on Facebook.
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