On the evenings of April 19, 20, and 21, the theater department will be presenting their one acts that they have been preparing for three weeks straight. However, for the first time in Seaman history, three seniors are taking the reins for each of the one act plays. Reagan Propps, Madison Flory, and Lucas Anderson are directing Small Actors, Check Please, and The Charge is Murder, respectively.

“[This is] really special because this is actually the first time in Seaman history that we have actually allowed students to be directors. For me, for a long time I considered being a director professionally so this is a good start for me” Madison said.

As directors, the students have taken on every responsibility that the teachers usually assume. The students take over the management of the show, doing the maintenance of planning and running the show.

In March of last year, the students were selected through a process which required them to complete an application explaining what theater means to them, why they wished to become a director, and what theater experience they possessed.

Madison expressed, “It’s really big for me because I have always been high up in the theater department as, like, a stage manager or assistant stage manager, and this year winning president and directing was a really big deal for me.”

Lucas shared that after being selected, the three were required to choose a script to be submitted to administration for approval. In January, the directors got together and held auditions and were able to cast almost every actor that tried out.

“After we had our auditions, we prepared the cast list… we plan out what the set is going to look like, what the actors are going to wear, what their hair and makeup is going to be,” Reagan explained. “Everything that you think of when you think ‘what does a director do?’ that has now been put onto us.”

As time progresses, the students are responsible for making sure their plays are well practiced and perfected, while also managing their crew to make sure they are ready for opening night.

“Being a director, you have to understand the entire script, whereas when you’re an actor you really only need to know you character and the way your character connects with everybody else. When you’re a director you kind of have to see the big picture all the time, every time.”

As seniors, this is the students’ last play they have the opportunity to contribute to. However, rather than being sad she is not able to actually be a part of the cast, Reagan shared, “I look at it more as being able to give something back to the theater department at the end of a really awesome time that helped me come out of my shell in high school, and I think that overall it’s not so much of a ‘I can’t be in it as ‘I get to be in it in a different way.”’

The directors encourage students to get out and support younger actors who might not get as much show time as the other actors, those who got out their shells and tried something new, and everyone who put so much effort into making this production possible.

“Had it not been for theater, I don’t think I would be the same person today, so being able to open up that kind of opportunity for someone else is a really awesome thing for me. My sophomore year, I got my first lead in the one acts, so it means a lot to me to be able to give somebody else that opportunity by directing them.”