Every year the Hardin-Simmons University’s Department of Theatre hosts a show called DirectFest.
It features the work of the students taking the directing I class. Each student selects a play that they then cast, rehearse and direct. The show will be a series of four 15-minute plays. DirectFest is the product of their progress of learning how to direct and the hard work and time they each put into their shows.
This year the shows will be performed on May 3 and May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Van-Ellis Theater. General admission tickets are being sold for $10,$5 for military, alumni, outside students, and seniors, and free for HSU faculty, staff and students.
Althea Holbert, senior theater education major from Quanah, will direct “Playthings” by Mark Saunders. MacKenzie Corum, junior theater education major from Fort Worth, is directing “Date with Death” by Steven Hayet. Gracie Ridings, a senior theater major from Hutto, is directing “Fictionistas” by Mark Saunders. Sami Gade, senior musical theater major from Austin, is directing “A Late Summer” by Liz Amberly. Each play also has a cast made up of students that each director hand picked for the roles.
The directing I students got to choose their own plays for DirectFest. “Fictionistas immediately stood apart from the others even though it was one of the last plays I read,” Ridings said. “Immediately, I was dreaming about what the set would look like, and I felt it would be a good fit for DirectFest, both technically and content wise.”
If you think this show would be a good fit for you, then come down and support the HSU Department of Theatre.“All the plays we chose are fun and you will get to support everyone involved,” Ridings said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the final product onstage.”