Reestablished drama department to host first play in years
After seven years without a student play, Seattle Central’s reestablished drama department will host its first student production this spring. The 80-minute performance includes an all-student cast as well as student technicians. The play, titled “Brief Smiles for Strangers,” will run over the next two weekends at the Erickson Theatre.
“The students have been really enthusiastic about the performance,” said drama instructor and director Shelley Douma. “The class has been creative and collaborative in making all the pieces of this play come together.”
After remaining dormant for several years, the drama department recently took shape once again as Humanities Dean Bradley Lane and Associate Dean Kate Krieg sought to revive it. While there are at least three drama courses offered per quarter, Douma hopes to gradually build on the drama curricula to meet students’ interest. She’s confident that a spring performance will occur on an annual basis going forward.
In Shelley’s Rehearsal and Performance class, students learn about scripts, set and costume design, and receive acting direction. Instructor Darryl Jamieson has been training students in the Introduction to Technical Theater class to provide behind-the-scenes support, including lighting and sound.
This year’s performance consists of two one-act plays. The first act, titled “Burnman Now,” by James Utz, is about an underwear factory worker who dislikes his job. The second act, “Rat Play,” by Heather Lindsley, takes place in a laundromat and touches on people’s inability to listen to one another. Both acts address serious contemporary issues but incorporate comedic elements.
The production opened this past weekend and continues on June 18, 19 and 20. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students. Proceeds will support next year’s production.