Milford One Act Playwriting Festival to include comedy, romance penned by students

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Rehearsals are under way for the seventh annual Riverbend School of Theatre Arts One Act Playwriting Festival.

The One Act Playwriting Festival has been presented each year since spring 2006. Every autumn, producer Toby Tarnow requests submissions from playwrights for the festival and never knows how many plays will be submitted until the early-November deadline.

Submissions must be original one-act plays written by students that build to a climax with resolution of a conflict or problem. The action must take place in one location and in one setting with minimum scene changes and cannot be more than 15 minutes in length.

A panel made up of four theater professionals, including Tarnow, decides which one-act plays will be included in the festival. Tarnow said there is no specific genre required for the festival.

“They are always different and have much to do with the playwright’s interests and imagination,” Tarnow said.

The casting process for the festival consists of two sessions.

“We saw about 16 actors and cast 13. The three who did not get parts join the One Act as crew, stage management, props, sets, hair and makeup,” Tarnow said.

This year, there are two newcomers who will be directing in the One Act Playwriting Festival. Renee Reeves, 17, a home-schooled junior from Merrimack, will direct “A Ghra,” a romantic comedy set in 20th century Ireland.

The cast of six is the largest of all the plays, so the professionals had some difficulty finding enough male actors. Also, they had to shuffle some people around late in the game.

While researching for “A Ghra,” Reeves found an interesting Irish custom.

“I thought the idea of St. Bridget’s Complaint – a day when women can propose to the gentlemen – was fascinating and could make for an interesting story,” Reeves said. “St. Bridget’s Complaint was a tradition that acknowledged the traditional role of women at the time and proceeded to turn it on its head. I thought, ‘What if, instead of viewing this as a special opportunity, a young woman decided to exploit this tradition?’ ‘What if’ is the question writers thrive on, and once you ask it, doors open everywhere.”

The second student selected is Sarah Gill, of Gilford, who will direct “Wednesday Man,” which is about the relationship between a teacher, a janitor and student.

Devon Labonte, a sophomore at Alvirne High School in Hudson, will return to the play festival for a second year to direct the comedy “Just Wait,” which is set in a dentist’s office. Last year, Labonte directed a mystery play, “Detective.”

Gill said she has enjoyed her experience directing “Wednesday Man.”

“Toby’s really great, and I’ve got a fantastic cast. It’s quite weird to go from a theater company you’ve been with your whole life (The Winnipesaukee Playhouse), then come to a brand-new one in a town you’ve never been to before. However, everyone is very warm and welcoming, and although the travel time is a bit of a pain, it’s all worth it to see my show put on by great actors in a brilliant theater.”

Alec Paulson, a 15-year-old student at Hollis Brookline High School, is playing DB in “The Wednesday Man.” He looks forward to the experience of being in this year’s One Act Playwriting Festival after playing the detective in Devon Labonte’s mystery “Detective” last year.

“What made the show so appealing to me is the memory of the last One Act that I was in. I had such a great time that I couldn’t pass up the audition. This character is a real change for me, because my other roles have been love characters, but this one is very comedic,” he said.

When it comes to developing his character Ben in “Just Wait,” Jon Edelblut said he gets his inspiration from his favorite comedians.

“My favorite (and most inspirational) comedians would be Tim Hawkins and Brian Regan. Both make excellent use of creating humor using their body and facial expressions, which was always where my kind of humor tended towards.”

Though he will find it challenging to make the character more relatable in such a short time, he looks forward to the performances.

The seventh annual One Act Playwriting Festival will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 and 28 at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford. Tickets are $5 at the door. The Riverbend School of Theater Arts is a program of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley.