Theatre Collaborative Play Festival Set Aug. 1-2

COMMERCE, Texas – This year’s Texas A&M University System Advanced Collaborative Theatre project will present a play festival on Friday, Aug. 1, and Saturday, Aug. 2.

Family Night featuring original shows will be 8 p.m. Aug. 1 in the Studio Theatre. Saturday night is aimed toward more mature audiences. Donations at the door will go toward the theatre scholarship fund.

Students attending the collaborative are writing new short plays, directing other students’ works, and acting in the shows. All of this is done in a matter of three weeks.

This year’s plays include “The Geek Strikes Back,” written by Henry Okigbo, “Pool of Memories” by Angela E. Cushing, “Jolly Jerome” by Angela E. Cushing, “Man, You Thought You Stole Christmas” by Angelica Ross Jackson, “Avie’s Bear” by Angelica Ross Jackson, and “Broken Road” by Martha Daniel Dupree.

Other plays are “Completely Mistaken” by Katie Horton, “What Was That?” by Rachel Fields, “Walking On Her Tip Toes” by Lacy Price, “Virgin Sue” by LeKethia Dalcoe, “Backstage Beauties” by Kristen W. Untiedt-Barnett, and “23 Rue de Bobideaux by Nathan Jacobs, “A Dancer’s Dilemma” by Dakota Wright, “Fairy Tale” by Sarah Stogner-Dickinson, and “Tourist Trap” by Audrey Anderson.

Also “Fairy Hero” by Lydia Rutherford, “The Treasure of Charville” by Landon Willis, “Just My Luck” by Tristen Pullen, “Missing Horse Mystery,” by Lindsey Willis, “Alida’s Moment” by Quanah Wright, and “The Quest for Golden Lamp” by Zeb Wright.

Students participating in the Advanced Theatre Collaborative have also had the opportunity to work with children in the community. They participated in warm up activities, improvisation games, and technical aspects of theatre, such as designing sets, stage makeup, safe stage combat techniques, and writing plays.

The youth, ranging in age from 6 to 13, are Lydia Anne Rutherford from Tyler, Lindsey and Landon Willis from Wolfe City, Quanah, Dakota, and Zeb Wright from Wolfe City, Triston Pullen for Sulphur Springs, Sarah Stogner-Dickinson from Commerce, and Audrey Anderson from Commerce.

They have written their own plays and directed and performed them in the Performing Arts Center July 25.