Small cast, small crew and a huge competition, the theatre department is preparing for the UIL One Act Play competition.
The official UIL contest is April 3. There is a preview show for the public at 7 p.m, March 22 and the cast is performing at the Wylie Celebrate the Arts UIL festival at 9 p.m., March 24 at Wylie High School.
“[The Trial of Judith K] is essentially Alice in Wonderland in the court system. It’s all about decisions and missed opportunities and finding your identity,” Junior Aubree’ Keller said.
Keller plays the lead in the play, Judith K.
“Basically [she’s] the one whose world is turned upside down,” Keller said. “She is the one who is influenced by all the other characters, and is left struggling to figure out who everyone is and why they are getting involved in her case.”
Freshman Ellie Jurden’s character likes to give Keller’s character a hard time.
“I play Mrs. Voight,” Jurden said. “She is the assistant manager and is above Judith in the bank they work in. I like to rub in Judith’s face that I am better than her.”
Judith is put on trial but she doesn’t know why.
“Nobody can tell her what she is on trial for,” Jurden said. “You will just have to come see it to find out.”
The One Act Play is a UIL competition that has specific rules and guidelines that must be adhered to. The rules can range from the set size to the amount of hours the cast and crew can rehearse.
“The cast and crew are a lot smaller, and the amount of interpretation we can use to make it our own is very minimal [in one act play],” Keller said. “UIL rehearsals are regulated to eight hours a week—Monday through Thursday—but since Judith really never leaves the stage, I have to be at every rehearsal, so we are only doing three days a week.”
Not only is it an opportunity for the actors and actresses to excel in their art, it is an opportunity to learn from those around them.
“I love forming relationships and learning from the actors around me,” Jurden said. “They are like my second family.”
Friendly competition allows performers to make new friends in other theatre programs.
“My favorite part of One Act is the competition aspect,” Keller said. “When we go to contest we all get to dress up and meet other actors and directors as passionate about the arts as ourselves. It’s like being at an award show.”
