One Acts (Audition, Practice, Performance)

May 2014, May 2015
Creativity

I have participated for two consecutive years in my high school's one act play productions. In my first year, I worked alongside a classmate as their co director. My duties while in this position were little, but still significant. I participated in the choosing of cast members and providing scripts to cast members during practice. It was also my duty to provide advice that would aid in the success of the play. It was an amazing experience. My classmate and I's play was called “Spicy Pony Head”. An American customer sits down to eat at a rather expensive-looking French restaurant and expects to order American food. The waiter explains that the only thing they have is Spicy Pony head. This leads to a misunderstanding between the two characters that to the audience is extremely hilarious. The play on opening night was tremendously successful.

During my second year, I participated as an actor. My audition included a reading of several play excerpts that would be performed this year. I tried my best during the audience focusing on projecting my voice, appearing confident, and emphasizing emotion. However, I did not get chosen for a speaking role. I was chosen as an extra in two different plays. In the first, I play the emotion of contentedness dressed in purple, introduced as a figment of a teenage boy's imagination. In the second, was meant to be a patron at a restaurant in a play known as “The Philadelphia”. I was never contacted this role, so I assumed extras had been abandoned due to time constraints. After this happened, I was offered a speaking role in a performance of “The Weirdest Honeymoon Ever”. I gladly accepted. It was a new challenge acting from being the director. It also forced me to escape my fear of stage fright and act naturally in front of an audience. Being able to body paint the different emotions for the play “Insomnolence” was a rewarding experience to see my work displayed before the audience. I had to learn to become comfortable with the other actors and work collaboratively with them in order to produce a worthy performance. In my first year, I was planning and initiating activities sch as practices to make our performance better. Acting, for me, is a first. This was a new experience all together and produced an interest inside of me to continue pursuing acting as a hobby. Because of the one act plays at my high school, I now know my strengths and weaknesses as an actor. This also comes from the advice of my directors.

Outcomes of this activity:

• Increased awareness of my strengths and areas for growth. 
• Undertook new challenges. 
• Planned and initiated activities. 
• Worked collaboratively with others. 
• Showed perseverance and commitment. 
• Developed new skills.