One-act play festival features works of WMU students, alumnus
Feb. 10, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Three students and an alumnus of Western Michigan University will have their works featured in a one-act play festival being staged by the Paw Paw Village Players.
The One Acts VI Festival is Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 13-15, at the playhouse at 404 E. Michigan Ave. in Paw Paw, Mich., and will feature world premieres of original one-act plays by Michigan authors. Performances begin at 8 p.m. each night.
"Miss Kentucky" by Allison Williams will be directed by Deb Klinger. Williams is completing a master of fine arts at WMU, where she has seen several of her works performed. She recently completed a tour of Canada with her one-woman show, "True Story." Her play about Laura Ingalls Wilder "Independence Day" was performed for the Kalamazoo Public Schools.
Lenny Fritz's play "Bearclawed" examines the desperate situation two hunters find themselves in and how they handle it. Holding a master's degree from WMU and Wayne State University, he currently resides in Detroit. Sal Campagna will direct his play.
A comedy called "Satan's Girlfriend" by Bethany Gibson, who expects to graduate in April with a master of fine arts degree, will be directed by Scott Kistler. As a recipient of the 2002 English Department Scholar Award at WMU, Gibson also received an honorable mention for her work. Two of her plays, "Special Delivery" and "Live Through This" were featured in last year's one-act festival.
"Going Empty" by Brian Katz will be directed by Jim Driscoll. Katz' play follows the "theater of the absurd" tradition that exposes the illogical side of life and makes one laugh and scratch heads at the same time.
Also a student at WMU, Nick Gauthier, has penned "This is Offensive on So Many Levels." Directed by Brian Bay, this thought-provoking piece takes a satiric look at religion that may raise weighty issues with some. Bay makes his debut as director for this play.
All of the one acts will be judged by an expert panel and the winner will receive the proceeds of the festival as a donation in their name to the college writing program of their choice. Also a plaque will commemorate the event.
Some material has adult themes and is not recommended for children under age15. Tickets are $5 for general audiences and $3 for students.
For information or reservations, call (269) 657-PLAY (7529) and leave a message. More information about the Players can be found on the Paw Paw Village Players Web site at <www.ppvp.homestead.com>.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 269 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu