“Always.” -Alan Rickman

Take hold of this image: you’re standing on a stage with people behind you and even more in front of you as you speak a set line that you have spent months learning and practicing. Everything begins beautifully, but you mess up, what do you do? You keep going, but many actors fear that the show will not be able to go on in a way that is sufficient to the judges who are looking at them from the audience. “The show must go on” is a line that every actor lives by, they must continue no matter what goes wrong with the production.

The actors of this year’s One Act Play are reasonably new to the process, but there are some that are experience mixed in with them that know how everything works and can help the newbies become more confident with what they are doing. Over the past month and going into the month following this post, the actors have been rehearsing almost every day after school to perfect their performance. Everything seems to be going well so far, but people still worry that all will be for not and that it will go wrong by the time they start to perform but they all know that it is a low possibility and that they can do anything that they set their mind to.

One Act Play is not just an acting experience but also carries many lifelong lessons that many continue to take with them throughout their careers such as: knowing that mistakes are a learning experience, not all criticism is dangerous, “how to make a family out of strangers”, to work harder than your best, to work as a team, and overall excellent communication skills. This is not only taking place in One Act. However, it is also taking place in regular theatre as well; with a more extensive cast and crew in the natural productions, tensions run high, and everything runs on high, especially the emotions. Some who look into going into One Act ask those already apart of it if the process is worth it. The answer seems to be the same for all those who answer: Always. “It may be exhausting and time-consuming,” third-year One Act actress, Eve Dixon, exclaims, “but it is worth it.”

“Everyone has a way to express themselves,” one year actress, Malika Muhammad, comments. “Some run, some paint, I act. Because for a few minutes Malika’s problems are no longer mine, for I am–for a few moments–not myself.” Actors are not just your friends on the stage with a mask on; actors take the form of someone entirely new, they adapt and take control of the situation through the character’s hands and move through the character’s motions. To be an actor is to be far more than yourself, everything you do is put through filters of another person, restricting you while still freeing you to be who you want and forget who you are. To be an actor is to bring to life a book that you know like the back of your hand and share it with the world to help others relate to it and see the reactions that come with those looking at you from the audience; the journey may be fun, but the ending is always bittersweet.

One Act is not all acting; there is always a need for technical support. Join, have fun, and be who you are! Strange is welcome and weird is encouraged!

This year the CHS One Act is performing the play To See the Stars on March eighth. Good luck to them. TCC!

There are no small parts, just small actors. Take it from Piglet.