The theater department will perform its first 24 Hour Play Festival in the black box theater March 9 at 7 p.m., where students are given 24 hours prior to performing to write, cast, memorize and produce a show. Tickets cost $5 for students and staff and $10 for general admission.
“There’s a certain level of ownership you have to take as an actor, director [or] technician,” director and Thespian president Max Turman said. “You have to be able to make choices without the help of your director and work under a time crunch. This is a great way to practice that skill for everyone involved.”
Those participating in the event will gather at a host house at 7 p.m., on March 8. There, they will split into predetermined teams and begin crafting two 15–30 minute plays. Scripts will be due between 10–11 p.m., and parent volunteers will drive them to school 7:30–8 a.m., the next morning.
Students will spend the next 10.5 hours switching between the black box theater, Drama Room A and the costume room in 45-minute increments. There, the teams will find costumes and set pieces, learn lines and rehearse. Lunch and dinner will be provided to students participating. After the performances, audience members can vote on which play they like best.
“People’s emotions get heightened when [they are] sleep deprived,” playwright Maya Ware said. “Being under the 24 hour time demand will increase tension in the room, and any show can automatically be a little tense.”
Both teams may be allowed to sabotage one another by getting rid of some of their time, snacks or drinks. To do this, a team will use a certain amount of their time as a currency, and buy the sabotages from a figure dubbed “Mr. Mister.” Turman said they are still unsure whether or not sabotages will be allowed due to heightened emotions from being awake for so long.
“Imagine spending 16 hours working on something in a row, then something sabotages you,” Turman said. “I’d cry. Through a healthy mixture of food and Monster Energy drinks, though, it would be OK.”
This event has been almost fully planned by the Thespian Club’s officers. Head director Chelsey Thornburg oversees the meetings, but said she is letting the club plan the details.
“[The 24 Hour Play Festival] is a lot to ask of students,” Thornburg said. “It’s long. It’s tiring. Them having a voice in the planning process is important because this should be something they choose to do.”
March is National Theater in Our Schools Month, and the festival is one of the performances planned to celebrate. Along with it, theater will host multiple workshops and post on social media throughout the month.
“[The Thespian officers] have seen this year as a new era for Hebron Theatre,” Thespian Club secretary David Park said. “Especially with new projects like [the 24 Hour Play Festival], we’re trying to hit the ground running. We want future generations to build on top of our ideas and have the best possible experience.”
Though a total of 48 students applied, only 20–30 of them will be a part of the event. The winners of the competition will get a trophy and photo taken, which will remain in the department’s trophy case until a new winner is crowned the following year. Turman said the Thespian officers hope to turn the event into a tradition if the debut goes well.
“Something [Hebron Theatre] has been struggling with for a long time is autonomy and getting things done as students, rather than letting our directors take over,” Turman said. “This year, we’ve worked really hard on planning our own things. This is a big step toward that goal.”
