Marissa Del Vecchio is a theatre performance major in her 3rd year, directing some of the short plays in the Niagara University theater.

During the interview she gave some insight on how the theater program plays out; “At the end of sophomore year, we get this email right before we go on summer break from our professor for the directing class Doug Zschiegner. He gives us the criteria, two plays, first choice and second choice, about roughly ten minute plays.”

The students research and find the plays they’d like to perform, but they have to get them approved by the department first. The students have a lot of leeway with what plays they want to act out. In her experience it took her a long time to find a play she really liked. Del Vecchio also gave some insight on how close they really are, “As a director, you have to kind of be their support system. To create a space that’s safe to explore different realms and different choices that you can make in acting. You have to know the script better than anyone and to know what the characters want.”

Below are reviews of five of the eight plays that were acted out that night:

The Wedding Story by Julianne Homokay, was phenomenal. The twist it turned into from being that stereotypical romance short story, into an entertaining, funny plot twist of a children’s fairy tale. The students did a great job of picking this play for their personalities, they worked themselves into the characters, making it seem like they were their characters. The way the story developed to have a “real world” story telling was a surprising twist the audience wasn’t expecting. The audience couldn’t have applauded louder.

Untitled #2 by Jim Gordon, the audience could feel the emotion that the actresses put into their parts. They worked their person into the new character on stage with every line that they had practiced for so long.

In Favors by Julianne Homokay, the audience was completely caught off guard at the turn it took. The actress really made them hate her character, Pennie, and how she was treating her friend Alison. Nobody should be treated like that, especially friends and people close to you. If you’re pressuring someone into something when they don’t want to do that thing, that’s not a favor – that is harassment. Go Alison for standing up to a person like that, honestly. Really well scripted , and the play was performed wonderfully. Alison is the change we need to see in the coming months of 2018.

In Knots by Lisa Soland, the audience might have found the younger versions of themselves on stage struggling with what to say in response to something like that. It was incredible to see the performers on stage simply just freeze in place when it was the narrators turn to speak. The narrator was funny and charming, making the audience chuckle and laugh out loud at her comments of her past.

Ferris Wheel by Mary Miller warmed the hearts of the audience as the play unfolded. The audience might have been simply reminded how quickly someone can fall in love, just by experiencing the same situational circumstance with someone. The audience witnessed the two performers kiss on stage many times during this performance as well.