Eight student directors of the Seminar in Directing for the Stage class have been working diligently this semester with local actors to present SiPP 2017: An Evening of Short Plays this week in the Ted Daigle Auditorium.
Each student has spent three months choosing a play, holding auditions, casting and directing rehearsals for a short play they can call their own. Each of the eight directors has their own style according to their professor Robin Whittaker.
“It’s pretty amazing because I get to see students that I’ve worked with for years in their element. They have control over how they manage and how they direct,” said Whittaker.
The course, originally called Seminar in Performance and Production, is meant to show students they can direct something from beginning to end and get a sense of genuine accomplishment in a professional setting.
The course offers a realistic approach of what the students will encounter when they are pursuing careers in production. By working with people other than their peers, they learn the skill of teaching and guiding a group to get the job done, Whittaker said.
However, there is sense of pride and passion within the tight-knit group of students. They understand their strengths and weaknesses and as a group use them to their advantage, according to Whittaker.
“I frame SiPP as a festival, so in that respect we’re all in it together because we want the best festival,” said Whittaker.
For their 2017 production, the audience will view a range of themes and styles including short comedies, historical pieces and works of poetics. From one moment to the next, the audience will have the opportunity to laugh, learn and really think about what the English language is capable of.
“It’s always been important to me to introduce Fredericton audiences to plays and styles that they haven’t encountered before,” said Whittaker.
An Evening of Short Plays will be held in the Ted Daigle Auditorium at St. Thomas University on Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, April 1 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The cost at the door is $2. The fundraised money will go toward the class pizza party.
