On April 14, Emporia High School’s Theatre put on the annual Senior directed One Acts where the following students put on five different short plays: Abigail Craney, Venus Haynes, Kim Skirvin, Olivia Huebner, Clara Coltrane, Adrian Chavez, Anthony Fusaro, Kaitlyn Velasquez, Kyle Obermeyer, and Laura Baldwin.

“First, we had to decide on one to direct and prepare sides for auditions. Then we actually had to cast the show, which was easier said than done. Then, we had to make a rehearsal schedule, prepare blocking, and get ready to actually start directing. Throughout the four weeks we’ve been working on it, we’ve watched rehearsals and given notes and had to pull together the technical elements. For instance, we had to draw up a lights script and coordinate with lights crew so they knew what lighting and effects we wanted, and we did the same thing for sound. We also had to borrow desks and chairs from teachers, which required some coordination. There’s a lot that goes into it, but it hasn’t been nearly as stressful as I thought,” Fusaro said.

With only a short amount of time for preparation, these Seniors were able to put on shows that gave the audience a good laugh and a good cry. Directors Kaitlyn Velasquez, Anthony Fusaro, and Kyle Obermeyer put on the play “13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview” where multiple scenarios of a college interview going wrong were displayed in a comedic way.

“This experience will leave me with more gratification than my actors will walk away with. This is a huge full-circle moment for me, and I am absolutely beaming with pride in my cast and everything that they have accomplished. There is no greater reward than using my acquired skills to enhance the skills of others, and this experience has been the best example of that philosophy,” Velasquez said.

This year’s One Acts took much dedication from both directors and actors, but the extensive show was a great success, as shown in numbers from the audience. Thank you to all of our talented seniors and actors for putting on another great performance!