Hamber To Host Student-Led One Act Plays
Cast and crew rehearse for the One Act Play Festival | Photo Credit: Stephen Kosar
A One Act Play festival will be taking place in Hamber’s Drama studio for one night only on Mar. 7 at 7 PM.
Created by Saraya Edwards (12) and Sarah Rubidge (12) in December 2022, the one act plays have been written, directed, and performed by students. One act plays are usually short performances, lasting between 20-30 minutes in length.
Students of all grades and skill levels came to audition for the four plays: Soiree, A Soulmate’s Myth, The Legend of Sir Brian, and A Trip to McDonalds. Rehearsals started in early February and are running all the way until opening night just before Spring break.
Rubidge started the one act plays because they wanted to create a theatre extracurricular activity for this year, due to the absence of Mr. P. Beharry (Drama), the usual organizer of theatre productions at Hamber. They wanted to “involve people around the school and create a community around theatre [in Hamber]” and just generally have some fun.
The development of the plays requires a lot of organization, whether that be sound and lighting, communication, or finding rehearsal spaces. Sam Amado (12) noted that “sometimes teachers aren’t available for us to use their rooms after school and during lunch. So, we’ve had to run around and check with other teachers and just find places where we can do our rehearsals”. They have had rehearsals in the drama studio, classrooms, and even the cafeteria.
The one act plays were not part of Hamber’s theatre and drama department. They were designed to involve and interest students who don’t typically participate in theatre. Aspiring student-actors were encouraged to join the one act plays, as less pressured and smaller student-led performances are a great place to experiment with their talents.
Coco McCullagh (10), an actor in “A Soulmate’s Myth”, was a little nervous during auditions. “I was really worried that I wouldn’t get a role, and that I’d be competing with other really good people”. Despite never having performed, they landed a spot.
Rubidge initially worried about the lack of interest in the plays, but since then, over 50 people have become actively involved in the production. “On such a large scale, [this] needs a lot of people to dedicate and help it succeed,” they said. “I cannot be the only one driving it... It’s been nice to see everyone so enthusiastic about it.”
For everyone involved, time is of the essence; actors and directors alike are feeling quite stressed, but also excited. McCullagh said they were nervous as there wasn’t a lot of time, but it was “honestly really fun” and Amado rates it an “overall good experience, and despite the setbacks, it’s been a really good adventure.”