On Sept. 12, 13 and 14, the University of Central Missouri’s Theatre and Dance Department showcased this semester’s studio one-act performances at the Black Box Theatre. This semester’s set of studio one-acts was titled “Remember When.” Four studio one-acts were performed, each with an overarching theme of dementia or death. The performances were directed by students.
The first studio one-act was called “Name” by Seth Kramer. It was directed by senior Paige Showen. In my opinion, this show had the best set dressing. The set consisted of a full living room, complete with a TV, couch, toys, movies, and magazines scattered about. This lively set caused me to feel immediate interest in the show. In contrast to the cheerful, relaxed setting, the actual story was not as peppy. The story followed a group of friends, two of whom were married and expecting a child soon and another who was clearly ill, with a pale face and oxygen tubes. While this show’s story was the hardest for me to follow of all the shows, but was still very heartfelt and contained a twinge of comedy, as the friend group joked around together.
The second studio one-act was “Good Morning Miriam” by Jacquelyn Priskorn. This show was directed by senior Finn Juliano and contained heavy themes centering around dementia and Alzheimer’s. The show opened with Miriam as her younger self. The scene then transitioned to a mirror where the audience saw an older version of Miriam replace the younger one. The scene repeats with older Miriam. It showcased the struggles of Miriam’s daughter as her mother loses her memories, as well as Miriam’s internal struggle with forgetting. In the end, young and old versions of Miriam argued over a “key” which symbolized Miriam’s memories. This show was heart-wrenching, as witnessing Miriam’s struggle and fight for her memories with her younger self was very emotional. Notably, Showen stepped in at the last minute to play older Miriam, as one actress unfortunately had health problems after the show on Sept. 12. Seeing how incredible Showen’s performance was and knowing it was put together on such a short notice, I knew I had to mention it in this review.
The third studio one-act was “A Long Trip,” written by Dan McGeegan and directed by senior Emily Turner. This show had a simplicity that I appreciated and it also leaned heavily into themes of dementia. The show centered around two elderly people discussing their first kiss, and their younger selves went through the night of their first kiss as they told their story. The show was beautiful with a bittersweet ending and the simplicity of the set paired well with the story.
Finally, in a complete 180 degree flip from the tone of the previous show, the performances ended with “Annnd Scene (of the Crime)” by John Busser. This show was directed by senior Gracie Heath and was the perfect way to lighten the mood and leave everyone feeling less heavy as they left the theater. The show consisted of two detectives interrogating an improvisation performer about his friend’s mysterious death. The twist? The main detective had a bell that, when rung, forced the improvisation performer to change the genre in which he told the story. In a humorous performance, the improvisation performer went through soap opera, film noir, and slow-motion action scenes. There certainly was not a boring moment in this show.
Each of these studio performances was done well. Despite the dark themes, I did not leave the show feeling heavy, as the juxtaposition of the heart-wrenching moments and the comedic breaks kept the audience on their toes emotionally. Sadly, these performances are no longer showing, but I am looking forward to seeing UCM Theatre and Dance’s next show, “She Kills Monsters” by Qui Nguyen, Oct. 3 to 6.
