Mount Hood

Student directors debut work

The Student Directed One Acts festival returns for Western’s theatre program

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The Student Directed One Acts Festival returns April 14 – 16 and will showcase the directorial talents in Western’s theatre program. The wide array of genres displayed this year is a testament to the creativity of these seven student directors and actors. 

Thursday night will kick off the one-acts festival, where four of the seven students’ plays will debut.

Junior theater major Grace Porter is among those premiering their plays on opening night. “Hiding in Flowers,” written by playwright Roni Ragone, will feature one female and one nonbinary character, and the performance focuses on their relationship when “a charcter comes out, but not as what you would think,” said Porter. 

Another play in the Thursday lineup is “Rough Edge” by Sara Jean Accuardi, directed by senior education and theater major Braden Pippert. Set in 1994 at the Clackamas Town Center Mall months after the Tonya Harding scandal, two frozen yogurt shop employees discuss the infamous crime. 

“I’m excited to show off what (the cast) has done and what I’ve kind of put together,” Pippert said of the show. 

Sophomore theater major Wyatt R. King will be joining Porter and Pippert on Thursday night, with Julia Specht’s play, “i believe in a Republic in which money has a great deal to say.” This show is a satirical take on economic class in America.

“There’s this idea of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, and this play kind of pokes fun at this idea because people who don’t even own boots are supposed to pull themselves up by these bootstraps,” King said.

Also premiering on Thursday is Pendleton King’s play, titled “Cocaine” and directed by senior theater major Andres Avila. The plot centers on two characters, a former boxer and a prostitute, as they deal with poverty, withdrawls and the threat of homelessness. 

The Friday night showing will feature the remaining three students, including sophomore theater education major Ally Warner directing “Overtones” by playwright Alice Gerstenberg. In this play, two gentlewomen must temper their agressive alter-egos, or inner thoughts in physical form, as they interact with each other. 

Also on Friday, junior theater education major Mere Butler is directing “Bride Before a Fall,” by Robert Scott. A dark humor piece, this play focuses on Victor and his mistress Madelyn, who are attempting to kill Victor’s rich wife for her fortune. Unfortunately, she seems to be unkillable. 

Sarah Pitz, a senior actor training major, will be directing fellow Western student Sara Wright’s play, “Woman Slay.” A comedic take on the “strong female lead” trope, the performance will feature a clueless heroine and an increasingly frustrated narrator.  

The Thursday one-acts will have a second round of performances on Saturday April 16 at 7:30 p.m., and the Friday shows will have theirs the same day at 2 p.m. in Rice Auditorium, room 113. Tickets are free to all. 

 

Grab some popcorn and catch these latest local plays

Western presents “Little Prisons: A Series of Short Plays by Portland Playwrights”

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

There are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy the performing arts from home, and local theater events are still happening throughout the year to provide some much needed entertainment. Beginning Mar. 6 Western’s theater students will be live streaming their upcoming event, “Little Prisons: A Series of Short Plays by Portland Playwrights,” which is directed by Jessica Wallenfels. This performance highlights four plays written by local playwrights, all of which will be free to watch. There will also be various streaming methods to accommodate different schedules — some will be pre-recorded, while others will be streamed live. 

The plays featured will have a wide range of topics and themes, the titles being: “The Third Prisoner” by EM Lewis, “A Wing and a Prayer” by Josie Seid, “Three Love Songs” by Anya Pearson and “Joy Fricken Hates her Stupid Dumb Room” by Sara Jean Accuardi. 

These local art performances can be found on WOUTV and will be available to stream at 7 p.m. on Mar. 6, and will be available on demand until Mar. 8 at midnight. To learn more about the event and to support the local arts, check out the theater department’s Instagram, @woutheatredepartment, or their Facebook page, @WOU Theatre Department.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Enjoy fresh movie theater snacks at home from Independence Cinema

Find out what movie theaters are doing to stay afloat

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

Many small businesses have been affected by the pandemic, and local shops in Oregon have especially been impacted by the recent two-week freeze mandated by Governor Kate Brown. However, this hasn’t stopped small-town shops from finding creative ways to stay open while putting safety first — like the Independence Cinema. Although they are not currently offering in-store purchases or movie viewings, people can still enjoy those classic movie theater snacks and other items with their curbside concessions.

During the two-week freeze, their curbside concessions will be open every Friday and Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m., where customers can get some snacks and also purchase gift cards, which are available on their website, battlegroundcinema-com.3dcartstores.com.

Along with providing goodies to all the movie lovers out there, Independence Cinema is also advocating for meaningful relief before 2021 to be provided by legislation. Movie theaters have been some of the hardest businesses hit during the pandemic, and certain measures have to be taken in order for businesses like these to still be a part of our community. Additional information on these legislation efforts, as well as future showtimes, can be found on their website, independencecinema8.com.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu