LAB! Theatre announced its 2014 fall season which aims to capture their love of experimental and off-the-wall theatre.
From a 24-hour play festival, to 30 plays in 60 minutes and a series of one-acts, students involved in LAB! Theatre’s productions this season said this season will span all genres to attract diverse audiences and casts.
“We don’t really go for ‘let’s all get up on stage and recite Shakespeare,’” said sophomore LAB! board member Griffin Gast. “(Our repertoire) links in with shows for this season because we put plays in bars, classrooms or wherever.”
The selection process for the 2014 fall season began in the spring and required aspiring directors pitch show ideas to the student production board in the hopes of bringing their vision to LAB!’s unique stages.
An interview process reveals the directors’ passions and plans for their potential shows. After roughly a month of proposals and research, the season is chosen.
“We want directors who are invested, are good leaders and can inspire their actors and crew to make the show as good as it can be,” Gast said.
The lineup of shows was not formally announced until Aug. 14, when both the fall and spring seasons were posted on LAB! Theatre’s Facebook page. Returning from 2013’s list are two crowd favorites — “30 Plays in 60 Minutes” and the “24-Hour Play Festival.”
“The ‘24-Hour Play Festival’ is a great way to get your feet wet without much commitment and still meet lots of people,” said sophomore dramatic art major Camille Oswald. “Part of the benefit of that time constraint is that you get to work right away.”
The title says it all. Plays are written, cast, directed and performed within a 24-hour time period, making it a whirlwind day. “30 Plays in 60 minutes” operates similarly, with students writing a collection of 30 plays that are all performed in an hour.
