Performance Review: The University Theatre's annual One-Acts showcase dazzles once again
The University Theatre showcased their One-Acts for the spring semester this past weekend, and the performance was phenomenal, involving complex characters portrayed by a cast of incredibly talented actors. The players ran two shows from Thursday to Sunday of this past week.
Their first act, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” centers around a successful yet lost journalist, Mitch Albom, who recounts his last days with his sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz. The act was an emotional one, with Mitch constantly struggling with his feelings and how to display his affection towards his mentor. Before he reconciled with Schwartz right before his death, Mitch hadn’t spoken to his professor in nearly sixteen years.
As the act progresses, Mitch visits Schwartz every Tuesday with lunch and a recorder to document their conversations. This comes at a price, however, as with each visit, Schwartz’s health steadily declines. The act also explores death in such a way that treats the parting as less of a “goodbye” and more as a “see you soon.”
Schwartz heavily urges Mitch to communicate his feelings to others before it's too late, even when not in a life or death scenario. Many members of the audience, including myself, began tearing up ever so slightly towards the end of the act. Mixed with stunning acting, beautiful stage lighting and a heartwarming yet heart wrenching story, “Tuesdays with Morrie” was more than well worth the watch.
The second act took the tone of the room in a whole new direction for the next hour. “The Actor’s Nightmare” is a story about a poor soul that happens to be mistaken for the lead’s understudy. George, the unfortunately mistaken actor, has to fake his way through different scenes of various plays including “Hamlet” and “Beckett” to avoid disappointing the audience.
George’s chemistry with the other increasingly annoyed actors as well as with the audience is perfect. He reuses and reuses lines, constantly miscommunicates with the other actors and, in dire situations, comes up with the most left field comments he can conjure up. After the tear jerker that was “Tuesdays with Morrie,” this felt like more than an appropriate compliment.
The University One-Acts truly showcased the brilliant talent and passion that theater students have on campus. Their charm, wit and melancholy tones at times were a perfect mix that made for an eventful night in the Etherredge Center. Bravo!
