A need for speed

Speed daters, meet your perfect evening out: speed theater -- as in seven 10-minute plays running back-to-back.

Visitors to Neuqua Valley High School's Gold Campus this weekend will experience the theatrical trend as freshman actors take the stage.

"The 10-minute play is something that has come on the scene in the last few years or so," faculty adviser Matthew Grigas said.

Students will tackle this cutting-edge theater form with all-freshman casts directed by their older counterparts, upperclassmen who are theater veterans.

"I chose juniors and seniors to direct each of these one-acts themselves," Grigas said. "Each of these directors has really become somewhat of a mentor."

Each playlette has a cast of between two and six actors, with a total of 24 cast members. Each of the seven self-contained, complete plays has its own director. Grigas estimates the entire show will run no longer than 90 minutes.

If speed theater sounds a bit dubious, Grigas understands. But, he insists, it works.

In this round-robin format, the audience will see comedy, "dramedy," drama and even a piece Grigas calls "absurdist."

"There's something there where there's something that's going to resonate with everyone," he said.

In each of the plays, actors will be similarly dressed in what Grigas calls a "sort of uniform" of jeans and T-shirts.

"There are no costumes, special effects or props, with a few small exceptions," Grigas said. "We did not want people to focus on the set, the props, the lights. It's all about who's up there. It's very workshop-esque."

The idea of doing a show featuring freshman actors is not new at Neuqua Valley.

"We've done a freshman show every year," Grigas said.

Last year, the school presented "Decalogue," a series of 10 short plays that varied in length. Grigas said this year's untitled entry is similar in concept, but each play is about the same length.

The show will be staged in the Gold Campus' Forum Room, a facility that seats about 200.

"It's a very intimate space," he said.

If you go

What: Freshman One-Acts acted and directed by Neuqua Valley High School students

When: 7:30 p.m. today, 7:30 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Neuqua Valley High School Gold Campus, 3220 Cedar Glade Drive, Naperville

Tickets: $8 for adults, $5 for students

Info: (630) 428-6400 or http://nvhs.ipsd.org/index.asp

Freshman One-Acts

Cast

Elyse Balogh, Samantha Betten, Stephanie Bloom, Claire Casey, Kelly Conrad, Jen Duckwall, Rebecca Feddor, Katelyn Fink, Carissa Glazik-Kacmarek, Robin Harland, Karlie Jager, Joey Kim, Brittany Knapp, Elliott Litherland, Hannah Loula, George Luke, Steven Marcinkowski, Taylor Mewborn, Stef Pino, Megan Rach, Ben Saylor, Nathan Sliwa, Briana Smith, Meredith Staub

Directors

Rachel Carreras

Tyler Gillian

Allison Gulick

Grace Heimerl

Tom Lord

Melissa McNeill

Matt Socha