Written by Pema (Bhutan / Class of 2022)
You want drama? Writers Aditi, Lara, Mantaro and Pema produced a fully formed piece of theatre in a day.
All-nighter wordsmiths
They began at 8pm and powered through. “I stayed up till 4 am, but it was worth it,” said Aditi.
“Seeing my words transform from page to play was a surreal experience and I am so grateful for all the hard work of the actors and directors.”
Students carry on semi-annual tradition
Led by Sainaa (India / Class of 2022), the initiative is a semi-annual school tradition, part of the theater club to produce four 10-minute plays written, rehearsed, and ready for an audience within 24 hours.
Direct, cast, rehearse
At 5 am the exhausted writers handed their visions to directors Satoe, Ben, Sar and Sainaa, who then spent two hours reviewing and revising, adding twists and adjustments, and conducting auditions.
With the actors cast and directors ready, the rehearsals began.
“It was a lot of fun and very stressful, but when we performed it a very enjoyable experience, especially when we crashed into furniture while running backstage,” said actor Hana Suzuki.
Final stretch home
After 10 hours of repeatedly running lines, learning voice projection, embodying the characters, and finding the costumes, the final stretch arrived.
Enter the tech crew: Allie Heffner, Brianna Wirakusumah, Vanni Puntelli, and Shimba Onishi.
“The lighting was really fun, plus working with theater is always a pleasure,” Brianna said.
An unforgettable performance
Final run-throughs and a pizza party later the doors opened at 8 pm. The results: one screening, the first and last showcase of An Old Mansion Somewhere, a cautionary tale of miscommunication and murder; Purgatory, what happens when you die, as narrated by the final victim; 24 hours of Unemployment, an exploration of family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and love; and finally Cinder and Spice, the Bollywood rendition of queer Cinderella.
The reactions were stellar: “It was hilarious, we all had a good time,” Natalia Morales said.
“The work and dedication of all the people who participated were very apparent they met all expectations and more.”
