CVU Students Direct and Produce Spring One-Act Plays

Buy Your Tickets for the Spring One Acts!

The word theater has a long history, deriving from the Ancient Greek word theasthai, which means to behold. The spring one-act plays at Champlain Valley Union High School have their own history and traditions, and the plays most definitely will be something to behold.

This year’s plays: a one-act comedy by Christopher Durang, The Actor’s Nightmare, and a truncated one-act version of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In the spirit of collaboration, there are five student co-directors for the two plays, two stage managers, and an assistant stage manager who is also in charge of props and publicity. 

By tradition the spring plays are wholly produced by the students. They direct, act, operate the lighting and sound, make all the costumes, do hair and make-up, create media/publicity pieces, and design and build the sets. Many students have an opportunity to contribute in a multitude of ways. With their focus on inclusivity, and a commitment to creative collaboration, that’s just the way the CVU students like it. 

Gabbie LindenMeyr, Ian Story, and Eric Carroll are co-directors for The Actor’s Nightmare. Carroll was the one to suggest Durang’s play, and the others quickly agreed. “It’s a wonderful show. I’ve always wanted to direct a comedy,” said Carroll. Story nodded and smiled in agreement.

Rory McDermott and Francesca Krol share directorial responsibilities for Hamlet. When asked how Hamlet can work as a one-act play, McDermott said, “We still have all the important contextual bits that tell the original story.”

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Students have an opportunity to contribute in a multitude of ways. With their focus on inclusivity, and a commitment to creative collaboration, that’s just the way the CVU students like it. ​

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Krol added, “We’re putting a lot of trust in the actors, particularly in Clark Clark who plays Hamlet, to emphasize the aspects of the play that aren’t included. I’ve always viewed directing as a very inclusive process with the actors, so it’s been a team effort.” 

Asked for any personal insights about the whole experience, director Gabbie LindenMeyr noted, “Everything is different than I thought it would be. Blocking, for instance. Blocking is harder than acting!”

Will Richardson, assistant stage manager said, “I’ve worked with adult and student directors for various productions, and working with student directors is always really fun—especially when you know them. The collaboration tends to be more fun from a tech point of view. Also, the student directors don’t tend to ask for quite as much, technically.” Izora Hart, one of the stage managers, said, “I’m really impressed with the entire tech team.” (The entire set for Hamlet was assembled in less than a month.)

Performances are at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6, and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 7 at the CVU High School Theater. Purchase tickets at TicketSource, or at the door. (Check the ticket site first to ensure the show is not sold out.) Online/advance tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for students, children, and faculty, and $11 and $9 at the door.

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Anne Mollo (she/they) is a writer and project manager with 30 years of experience across multiple industries, helping organizations bring clarity to the missions, values, and messages they share with their communities. She served for seven years as a voting member of The Schoolhouse Learning Center board of directors, three years as board co-chair. Now a member of the school’s administrative leadership team, she assists with strategic communications and long-term planning. She holds a BA in English from New York University, with a specialization in writing. When not working, Anne enjoys participating in various forms of performance art, including acting, improvisational theater, comedy, and live storytelling. She also co-produces a monthly storytelling event at the Shelburne Vineyard. All three of Anne's children have attended CVU.