This Friday, the Senior class of 2024 Theatre majors will hit the stage and show what they have been working with Mr. Graham for the past quarter. The students had to pick a topic of choice, and create a 5 to 8 minute show. Students were expected to gather all necessary material for their shows, this includes set design, costume design, lighting design, props, music, and script/score. They play all parts of the directing process, exposing them to much more than just acting. “I got to experience every role of getting a play together. It was so much fun being able to create my own piece and being able to tell my story. It’s a feeling you can’t really capture with words.” - A’Christiana Moore. Since the students had creative freedom, they were given the choice to create a character or to tell their own story. In this festival, be prepared to see the individuality this school allows its students to find and build upon. This project calls for creativity and dedication. According to Mr. Graham, this tradition that he started last year, plans to stay.
"As a solo theatre artist, myself, I wanted to honor the groundwork laid by Mr. Kottler by continuing the production of a Senior solo festival, but make it my own by opening up the realm of creative possibility for every student. Indeed, the students are welcome to adapt previously published material (like "Spoon River Anthology") but now they are also welcome to create a completely original work from scratch… When I was thinking of a title for the festival, I wanted something simple and meaningful. Indeed, "exeunt" is a funky theatre vocabulary word, but more than that it symbolizes the end of an era for each Senior class”. - Mr. Graham
When creating this show, Mr. Graham intended for his students to take something meaningful away from this. For example, this project is meant for the students to take with them, and possibly further expand on it in the future. Many students often pursue their majors after high school. This allows students to enter their craft with a piece they will always have. Not only did this give our students first hand experience of all the production roles, this also gave them the opportunity to learn self pacing.
“It was complete trial and error. I am the type to be uncomfortable with there not being a wrong way to do things so, it was more than hard at times. Mr. Graham gave us many materials which helped but this process was really about fitting all these pieces together on our own. This project allows us to use every creative tool we’ve learned here before leaving. It’s a bittersweet moment.” - Brooke Kleinsmith
“In life, deadlines never stop coming. Whether you're turning in an assignment, paying a bill, or opening a show, the due date always comes. What changes over time is that we get better and better at meeting those deadlines successfully. The only way to practice that is by allowing these student artists to set their own schedules. As long as they deliver the necessary work by the deadlines along the way, they are free to create/change/destroy/rearrange/re-write/etc. their work as much as they'd like.” - Mr. Graham.
Although the students have been working with Mr. Graham, they have also been responsible for each step of the show.
“Writer's block was a huge struggle for me, I’d get in a flow and have no clue what to write next.. Another challenge for me was incorporating the 5 ingredients, picking obscure actions wasn’t easy, I definitely went back and forth between them to pick the ones that are just right.” - Max Decker.
“My biggest challenge I faced throughout this project was making myself comfortable to be vulnerable on stage. I ran through 5 topics to write about but was too cowardly to stick to one. I hated the feeling of being judged but by the end of the process, I realized can’t no one use my vulnerability against me.” - Shaniyah Mason
Exeunt will be open to the public Friday, January 12th in our Blackbox at 7pm. We hope to see you there!