What has three Fates, two apathetic lifeguards, and one possessive pterodactyl? Theatre kids, of course.
On Saturday, Feb. 2, a group of students gathered for a playwriting festival, It’s Writ!, to perform staged readings of short, briefly-rehearsed plays. At the event, hosted by Hamilton’s student theatre troupe, Untitled@Large, six students had their plays dramatically read-through on stage by members of the community. With a mix of comedies and dramas, It’s Writ! included plays that tackled tensions about supernatural powers, getting into the water, and everything in between.
“Our goal is to give people the chance to work on theatrical projects that fit their schedules and interests that they might not be able to do through the Theatre department,” Andy Letai ’19, Untitled@Large’s literary manager, said.
With a mix of class years and majors participating in the plays, the club seems to have succeeded in bringing a variety of people into Hamilton’s theatre scene. Alexei Smith ’19, Untitled@Large’s technical director, noted that “Half of the plays showcased were from people outside of the Theatre department.” A senior Physics major who has been involved with theatre since her the beginning of her Hamilton career, Smith observed, “A lot of times theatre seems like an exclusive space from the outside, but I think that events like these are a good way of getting more people involved.”
Student playwrights included Emily Aviles ’19, Annie Danielson ’22, Jessie Dromsky-Reed ’19, Reed Johnson ’19, Jacob Lebron ’19, Hannah McLean ’19 and Emily Midgley ’21.
In all, It’s Writ! produced an intimate afternoon of entertainment, absurd acting, and creative support. The audience was quick to respond to jokes and sorrowful statements, and the actors were not afraid to laugh at themselves and take risks.
While Untitled@Large is still in the process of making It’s Writ! an annual event, the club will host its annual 24-Hour Theatre Festival in March, wherein students will gather to spend a day writing, directing, and acting in plays. They then plan on hosting a Late Nite murder mystery party in April.
