High School One-Acts Directed by Concordia Students

by Dana Simpkin

Three Concordia students served as assistant directors for the fall one-acts at Seward High School this semester.

Junior Jayme Lowe and seniors Emily Kollbaum and Alicia Royuk worked with Clark Kolterman, an English teacher at the high school, to put on three one-act productions. The Concordia students each selected and cast their own shows, then worked with the high schoolers through rehearsals up to their first performances on Nov. 15.

Royuk, a secondary education major, said that the experience was useful for building relationships with the high schoolers and learning to manage a large group of people.

“It’s also just really cool to see them grow,” Royuk said. “One of my actors was really shy when we started (but) her role required her to roar on stage…in the end, she was out there roaring in front of a whole bunch of people. I was so proud.”

Royuk described her show, “Complaint Department and Lemonade,” as situational humor which pokes gentle fun at the human condition. The other two shows, “Seusspeare: Meet the Macbeths,” directed by Kollbaum and “Three Doors to Death…The Choice is Yours,” directed by Lowe, are also comedies.

“Seusspeare: Meet the Macbeths” was selected to perform in the Central Conference competition at Seward High on Nov. 22. From there, the show will have the opportunity to advance to the District competition on Dec. 2. Both the Conference and District performances are open to the public.

“You get to be goofy in drama, and have fun, but it’s also just a good way to focus on something outside of yourself,” Royuk said. “I just think it’s a great opportunity for ministry and for connecting with students and giving them the chance to try something they might really enjoy.”