Thirty plays; 60 minutes. Do the math, and that means about two minutes per show. It might sound impossible, but Lab! Theatre and the Modern Shakespeare Society have found a way to make this dramatic pipe dream a reality.
Artistic director Kevin Spellman brought the "30 Plays in 60 Minutes" production to UNC in spring 2013, and the Modern Shakespeare Society now performs approximately three of the shows each semester. Each play is written and performed by the nine actors involved.
Sophomore Camille Oswald joined the ensemble during her freshman year, working behind the scenes before joining the group as a performer.
Oswald wrote three of the 30 plays that will be performed in the show’s holiday edition tonight.
“They all revolve around the theme of winter and the holiday season and the good things and bad things that come with that," Oswald said. “The biggest hurdle for me was wrapping my mind around how to accommodate this theme.”
Each play is an individual piece and must be able to stand on its own, and Oswald said the order of the plays and the connection the actors make with audience members play a big part in the audience’s response.
“There is no disconnect between us and them,” Oswald said. “In some plays we use the audience, and because we only have 50 seats and perform in a classroom, there is a much more intimate feel. It’s a very special thing.”
Senior Haley Smyser, who is also acting in the production, said that after selling out three shows this year, she was excited to add another performance. Audience members have shown up nearly an hour in advance to secure seats, and Smyser said this holiday performance is a way to thank them.
“We wanted to offer something else for people to see, and all of us thought it would be fun to get the gang back together,” Smyser said.
