CLC Theatre students present three comedic one-act plays April 13-21
Phases of a budding relationship, from first date to morning after. A lovely dinner party gone awry by revelations of an extra-marital affair. The ups and downs of a long relationship captured on scraps of paper. The unpredictable world of dating and relationships is captured in a trio of comedic one-act plays being presented by College of Lake County theatre students April 13-15 and 20-21.
The plays are "A Relationship-Abridged" by Seth Kramer, "Self Torture and Strenuous Exercise" by Harry Kondoleon and "Post-its® (Notes on a Marriage)" by Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman. They make up the eighth annual production of "Play On! A CLC Theatre Student Showcase," where students showcase their abilities as actors, directors, stage managers, designers and technicians. The student directors are Alexander Gray, Jeff Brain and Oguzhan Ucak.
"'Play On' gives our students the opportunity to develop the skills they are learning in their classes, collaborate within a production team and realize their overall artistic vision," said Craig Rich, theatre department chair. "This invaluable training prepares them to transfer to four-year theatre programs and lays the foundation for them to succeed as future theatre professionals."
"A Relationship-Abridged" puts a humorous spin on a familiar story: Edward meets Abby at a bar. At a rapid-fire and revealing pace, the audience sees every phase of their relationship: the pickup, first date, morning after, all leading up to the final analysis.
"Most people have experienced a relationship in one way or another, and the play capitalizes on how relatable each step of the relationship is," said Director Alexander Gray of Zion. "We students are very fortunate to have a production like 'Play On!' available to us, to apply everything we've learned during our time at CLC. Not every college has something comparable to it, and it really helps educate us in a way that is different from a traditional classroom setting."
Gray received two Kennedy Center American College Theatre (KCACTF) Irene Ryan Scholarship nominations for his roles in "Street Scene" and "The Diviners." He plans to continue his theatre education at University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
In "Self Torture and Strenuous Exercise," a dinner party encounters turmoil when Carl tells Alvin that he's in love with Alvin's wife, Beth. Feeling dizzy, Beth won't get off the floor. Then, Adel, Carl's wife, bursts in and announces that Carl is trying to kill her. "I found the writing of the play to be extremely stylish and compelling," said Director Oguzhan Ucak. "For me, I found a genuine feeling of entertainment from seeing these characters express their demons while also smashing a lovely dessert treat. This story is full of people who desperately desire to not be lonely but who also want to feel safe from the cruelty that others are capable of. The darkness and sharpness of the writing is scathing, but there's a clarity that I think most people will understand and relate to."
An Antioch resident, Ucak is a licensed massage therapist who earned a CLC certificate in massage therapy. He developed a love for theatre after taking several CLC theatre classes.
In "Post-its® (Notes on a Marriage)," Director Jeff Brain of Antioch said the story touches on the many stages of a relationship. "The audience will see some of their own experiences reflected onstage," said Brain. "That may mean relationships they've had themselves, the way their family interacted or maybe even goals they have for their own futures."
Directing has helped Brain develop a more well-rounded theater education as well as respect the stages of the production process that he never saw as an actor, he said. Nominated for the Irene Ryan Scholarship for his performance as Pishchik in CLC's 2017 production of "The Cherry Orchard," Brain plans to earn an associate degree from CLC in May. This fall, he will transfer to University of Wisconsin-Parkside to major in theatre with a focus on theatre performance.
In addition to the directors, the student production team includes: Scene Designer James Molidor (Fox Lake), Lighting Designer Stephen Bognar (Antioch), Costume Designers Hyunkyung Sung (Vernon Hills), Jesse Ocampo (Park City) and Francis Kim (Hawthorn Woods), Production Stage Manager Maranda Riley (Island Lake) and Stage Managers Robert Williams (Waukegan), Charlene Walkanoff (Beach Park) and Brooke Buchtenkirch (Round Lake Beach).
"A Relationship-Abridged," cast: Edward: Dylan Thomas (Winthrop Harbor); Abby: Jennifer Hinojosa (Waukegan).
"Self-Torture and Strenuous Exercise," cast: Alvin: Ben Compton (Winthrop Harbor); Bethany: Edith Graham (Libertyville); Carl: Joshua Pride (Wadsworth); Adel: Maria Cervantes (Mundelein).
"Post-Its: Notes on a Marriage" cast: Actor: Robert Williams (Waukegan); Actress: Emmalee Berger (Libertyville).
Production dates are Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., Studio Theatre. Warning: Performances contain adult language and subject matter.
Tickets: $10 General Public and $8 CLC/Teen/Seniors (includes JLC $2 facility fee). Buy one ticket, get one free on April 13 and 20. Performances will take place in Studio Theatre, James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. For tickets, call (847) 543-2300 or visit www.clcillinois.edu/tickets. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 12-5 p.m. and 60 minutes prior to each performance.