Information in this article has been updated and corrected
On April 10 and 12, the University of Michigan-Flint held its annual Short Play Fest in the UM-Flint Theatre Black Box studio, with a total of 200 guests in attendance over the two-day period. The event showcased seven student-directed plays, in which students gained hands-on experience directing, stage managing and handling light and sound
To direct a play in the Short Play Fest, a student must be registered in class Theatre 320: Intro to Directing or Theatre 415 Special Projects in Directing. Auditions for the Short Play Fest were held Feb. 25 and were open to all students.
For some students, this was their first directing project. Reese Garfield, a junior theatre major who directed a short play on a couple’s conflicting feelings about having children, said that she enjoyed the experience and has had an interest in directing.
“It was a fun experience,” Garfield said. “I have always been interested in directing, and working with peers has been beneficial. I felt anxious during the performance, but afterwards, I felt really accomplished.”
Austin Bishop, a senior theatre major, said that his group spent about a month working on their play.
“I think with the way this year’s schedule was, we actually had less time to work on this project,” Bishop said. “But even so, my group stayed calm and committed to the task at hand. As far as planning goes, we started with a read-through. And then, we spent the next several weeks blocking out our beats.”
Noah Anthony, a sophomore theatre major, said operating and handling sound equipment was easier than he expected.
“It’s been a chill, actually,” Anthony said. “Operating the sound board is cool — not as hard as I initially thought it was going to be.”
Members got to play several parts, rotating between operating technical equipment, acting, directing and stage managing.
The Short Play Fest is the recipient of the University of Michigan’s Arts Initiative Student Mini-Grant Program, providing $1,000 in funding for student-led projects across all University of Michigan campuses. The grant supported the hiring of a student technical director and lighting designer.
Through this funding, Nathan Carpenter, a junior majoring in the theatre design and technology program, was hired as the Short Play Fest’s technical director and lighting designer. The grant also supported his labor, training and design for the event.
Haley Bowman is a write for the Michigan Times, she can be reached at haleybow@umich.edu.
