The Buccaneer

Issue date: 5/21/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Mallory York Emilee Wood (left) and Sarah Winsor rehearse a scene from "Fullstop."

"Fullstop," the play that drama student Amelia Robertson is directing was originally written for an actor and actress, but ended up with both roles cast as women because there weren't enough male actors available to fill all of the male roles. "It's been an opportunity to cast creatively like this," Robertson said.

Peninsula College's Festival Of Student-Directed One-Act Plays (FOSDOAP) presents eight original plays this year in the Little Theater starting May 29.

Each 10-15 minute play is directed and performed by the Peninsula College Players, the college's performing drama students.

FOSDOAP is a fairly new addition to campus culture. Started in the spring of 2006, it was expanded in 2007 to showcase original plays written by students and remains written, directed and performed by students in 2008.

The Players have only been performing one year longer than the festival they'll be presenting. They started Fall quarter 2005 with their production of Jim Leonard, Jr.'s "The Diviners." Since then the players have put on a production each quarter, all directed by drama instructor Matt Vadnais and sponsored by the Associated Student Council.

In addition to their quarterly productions, the PC Players present a different kind of production each quarter. "We do a comedy in the fall, an experimental piece every Winter, FOSDOAP in the spring, and the Shakespeare tour every summer," Vadnais said.

The summer Shakespeare tour, "Shakespeare On A Nickel," presents condensed, but true-to-original-language versions of Shakespeare's plays.

The plays are cut down to 1 1/2 hours or less and performed at venues on the Olympic Peninsula. Vadnais said that for the upcoming performance, "Measure for Measure," players aren't changing much. Sometimes they switch which character says which line in order to condense the plays while still fitting in all of the lines they want to keep. They never alter the original Shakespearean language.

Students who take drama classes at PC have the option to transfer to a four-year college for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre or a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Theatre.

The difference between the two, Vadnais explained, is that people with BAs in Theatre tend to end up doing the theoretical, historical part of the job-they learn about theater, about classic plays and playwrights, and about the philosophy behind acting and directing.

People who acquire a BFA in Theatre have a different opportunity in the practicing side of drama. They usually end up being performers, directors, playwrights or some other related position associated with productions.

Drama students who have transferred to four-year colleges have returned to PC to do the summer "Shakespeare On A Nickel" productions with the current drama students. This is a good way for students to rub elbows with actors who have more experience and who have transferred to a theater degree, Vadnais stated.

Of the distinctive title for the Shakespeare tour, Vadnais said, "'On A Nickel' refers to both our minimalist production values and the cost of admission." Five cents is the admission charge for Shakespeare On A Nickel. Visitors may donate a larger amount if they wish.

Not all PC drama students are members of the PC Players; the Players are PC's performing drama students. There are also classes for students new to the practice and just learning to act, or those who don't wish to participate in a production.

Anyone may audition for a part in PC's drama productions. Vadnais encourages them to join the drama class for credit, but it isn't required to participate.

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