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An inspiring evening of 10-minute
and flash plays
By G. Christopher Terry
April 06, 2006 | Room 202 in the threatre department
was the site of an inspired Mark Damen-produced evening
of drama Friday.
A crowd of about two dozen were on hand to watch a
series of 10-minute plays and flash plays that had their
genesis in last semester's beginning playwriting class.
According to the program, 10-minute plays "allow a
playwright to explore character and plot in an abridged
but traditional fashion." Flash plays are only three
to four minutes in length and "draw attention to the
significance of a crucial moment, that flashbulb which
goes off inside a person's mind as realization hits.
Both genres of drama were well-represented during the
95-minute program.
While the production opened and closed with clever
comedic bits, in between were several darker plays,
some of which wrestled with gut-wrenching modern issues.
Using only minimal set-pieces the players provoked laughter
and thought in equal measure from their audience.
Also featured in some of the plays were cigarettes,
the death of a dog, the word "faggot," the "F" word,
and the "S" word. During his opening monologue Damen
instructed those offended by the foul language to leave
"when it's blacked out between plays so you'll have
a greater chance of slipping and falling on your face,"
in jest.
Subtext was a common thread running through much of
the production, especially in the cases of Evan Black's
hilarious ensemble comedy, which opened the festivities,
or Subtext of Salt by Heather Hunsaker.
Another great showcase of comedy writing and acting
was Olympic Buffaloes by Maryann Kimball, which
offered a fanciful look at what might have been happening
behind the scenes in the boardrooms of the IOC leading
up to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
The black-clad Company Members who wrote and acted
in the evening of new plays were: Black, Kimball, Hunsaker,
Jed Broberg, Lucas Bybee, Richie Call, Nancee Farrer,
Emily Heap, Kynsie Kiggins, Lindsay Koeppen, Elicia
Lord, Brandon Pearson, Autumn Sargent and Chris Tingey.
Also credited in the program were undergraduate teaching
fellows Lanny Langston and Karaleigh Mecham.
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