High School One-Act Plays Cap ISU Theatre Education Experience

For more than 25 years, theatre education students at Illinois State University have worked with local high school students, getting hands-on experience toward becoming high school speech and drama teachers.  The capstone event for them is directing one-act plays at the high schools, which will take place Nov. 21 and 22 at Bloomington High, Dec. 2 and 3 at Normal Community High and Dec. 5 and 6 at University High School.

Professor Sandra Zielinski teaches the theatre education class at Illinois State.

The one-acts at Bloomington High School Nov. 21 and 22, beginning at 7 p.m., are "The Fairyland Detective Agency" by Vin Morreale Jr., directed by David Solotke; and "A Nice Family Gathering" by Phil Olson, directed by Becky Murphy.  Tickets are $1. 

The NCHS plays Dec. 2 and 3 will be "The Prettiest Girl in Lafayette County" by Jason Milligan, directed by Ashley Larabee; "Alice in Wonderland," adapted by Eve La Gaillienne and Florida Friebus and directed by Karieanna Gangi; "The Moonlight Room" by Tristine Skylar, directed by Katie Belovsky; "The Land of Counter Pane" by M. Ellis Grove, directed by Andrea Bickness; and "The Second Best Bed" by Tim Kelly and directed by Jessica Pardys. Tickets to the NCHS performances are $3 for students and $5 for adults.

The University High School one-acts, on Dec. 5 and 6, are An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein ("One Tennis Show" and "The Lifeboard is Sinking") directed by Amy Shara; "Little Footsteps" by Ted Tally, directed by Bridget Thomas; "The Case of the Crushed Petunias" by Tennessee Williams, directed by Jessica Prueher; "For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls" by Christopher Durang, directed by Lisa Frystak; and "One Hundred Women" by Kristina Helvorson and "Night Visits" by Simon Fill, both directed by Andrea Nixon.  Tickets to the U High show are $1 for students and $3 for adults.