The UA School of Theatre, Film & Television will present seven student-produced plays in its annual New Directions Festival, running through April 13 at the Tornabene Theatre on campus.
Rayce Morland, a sophomore at the University of Arizona, wears multiple hats at this year’s festival as both the director of Barefoot in the Park with George Washington and the playwright behind Collapse.
For Morland, the festival is an opportunity to experiment with unique storytelling approaches and create something audiences have never seen before. In Collapse, Morland brings high fantasy and superhero elements to the stage. The play presents audiences with a moral dilemma: should they spare or eliminate a super-destructive weapon in the form of a little girl named Armageddon? The audience’s vote determines the ending, making each performance a singular experience.
“I like writing about superheroes and high fantasy,” Morland says. “Being able to put that into the New Directions Festival has been really significant for me.”
The collaborative nature of the festival, where students both learn and teach one another, is part of what the student artists believe makes it such a powerful experience.
“We’re all learning together,” Morland says. “Using each other as a resource has made these productions soar and become something greater than they could ever be in any other setting.”
The festival also provides a platform for actors to explore complex characters and themes. Justine Wilken, a senior performing in three productions, is taking on roles that range from historical figures to superheroes. One of Wilken’s performances is as Hero in Hero by Choice or Heart.
“She’s sort of the main character who’s in love with both of her best friends, so it’s about making choices and discovering bisexuality,” Wilken said. “I love being involved in queer works because I feel it’s a cool thing to represent myself, and I would have loved to see something like that growing up.”
The festival’s student-driven nature is what sets it apart, offering students full creative control over their work.
Junior Emma Nutting is acting in Collapse and Can We Talk, which has given her a chance to explore new aspects of her craft.
“There’s a deep connection between the audience and the actors, and that’s what makes live theater so special,” Nutting said. “I want the audience to experience that human connection, not just between me and them as actor and audience, but between the characters on stage as well.”
Remaining performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, which also has a 1:30 p.m. matinee; and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13. Tickets are $5, free for college and high school students, through tickets.arizona.edu.
A post-show discussion will follow Friday’s performance.
Excerpted from a story by Gracie Quattro for The Arizona Daily Star.