Loras Players come again; this time with “Way Off Broadway on Loras 8.” As they embark on their 99th season, the players are performing four one-act plays that include three comedies and a drama, held yet again in St. Joseph Auditorium this weekend. Juniors Kevin Grady, Hannah Spina and Jadee Schmidt, all theatre minors, are the directors of these one-acts. 

All the one-acts of “Way Off Broadway”, which takes its name from “Way Off Broadway” in the New York Theater District, have student directors. Last year, eight directors from the directing class showed eight different one-acts. Since the class is offered every other year, Grady, Spina and Schmidt, who had been involved in theater for some time, were selected to direct this year’s plays.

Professor Douglas Donald, director of theater, said, “The idea of the students directing the plays is to give them the opportunities to be creative and experimental, and to explore the areas of theater. All the directors have the freedom to show off their talent however they want to.” 

Grady, who is directing two shows, said, “The plays this year are much shorter than what most people are used to seeing.” His first one-act, “The Actress’ Dilemma”, is about an actress who tries out for an audition for a play and gets rejected by the director. The other act is “The Controlling Interest”, in which a bunch of executive businessmen—who are in fact eight year old boys—call a meeting to discuss the possibility of liking girls. 

Schmidt, who has acted in scratch play, Hamlet and last year’s Christmas Carol, among others, has been involved in the theater since her first year at college. “A Heart in the Ground” is her second direction, which is the story about a couple who recently lost their young baby, how they deal with death and how the woman is driven insane by the whole situation. Schmidt directed “Dancing with the Devil” last year. 

After her involvement in plays like “Urinetown”, “Hamlet”, “Little Women” and a number of scratch plays, Spina is directing “The Ugly Duckling”, which is an absurd fairy tale about an ugly princess and prince who end up marrying each other. Spina says, “It’s about figuring out what really matters; the play sends a message that beauty lies within.” 

No doubt, theater is a creative effort; it also takes a huge amount of time. Spina said, “Since we only had two weeks of time to cast and direct, it was especially difficult to get things together. Nonetheless, it’s so much fun and can even be a stress reliever once you get into the flow of this.” 

“It should be a good weekend,” Spina said smilingly. Schmidt added, “Expect great things, it will be diverse and interesting.” This Friday will definitely show what happens when students take over the theater. 

“Way Off Broadway on Loras-8” is this Friday, November 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and November 22 at 2 p.m. at St. Joseph Auditorium in Hoffmann Hall. It is free for Loras affiliated and $5 for general admission. The shows may contain strong language.