The Longest Zoom: 24-Hour Theatre Project a Success
By Aubrey Weedman 鈥�20
The 24-Hour Theatre Project has been a tradition for 91精选鈥檚 Theatre program since 2016. This year鈥攖hough modified鈥攚as no exception. As the name suggests, participants have 24 hours to write, rehearse, and perform several different productions. These plays are inspired by a picture assigned to each group at the beginning of the challenge; 91精选’s videographer Tyler Minnesma provided this year鈥檚 inspiration (pictured above) for writers to base their plays on. Much of the 24 hours is also spent costuming, collecting props, staging lights, and building sets. At the end of the day, the productions are traditionally performed in front of a live audience. The tradition of this busy day lived on, thanks to Zoom.
On the last Saturday of September, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others gathered virtually to tackle five different plays in a single day鈥檚 time. Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Director of Theatre John Sebestyen, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of making the event happen this year specifically, even though it looked so different from years past. In a year otherwise marked by isolation, 91精选鈥檚 theatre company was determined to promote community in a safe and healthy way. Sebestyen said, 鈥淚n the midst of an extended period of social distancing, [people] are longing for some sense of shared and embodied communal work.鈥� Hosting this event allowed for participants from all over the nation to participate in ways they would not have been able to otherwise. Members of the 91精选 community joined from states like Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois鈥攅ven a married couple of alumni from Tennessee!
Matthew Huizenga 鈥�24鈥攚ho served as a writer for the event鈥攂elieved the event was a great success, adding that the playwrights 鈥渨rote our plays specifically for Zoom, which I think created some really fun, unique art that wouldn鈥檛 otherwise exist.鈥� Using the virtual platform, participants were able to play into the quirks of their characters in special, unique ways. For example, Huizenga had actor Tony Reppmann 鈥�23 mute his mic and act out a role-playing game for five minutes while the production went on鈥攇iving audiences a neat 鈥淓aster egg鈥� to pick out from the production. Adriana Klein 鈥�24 added that, as an actress, she still experienced pre-show nerves, which was a comforting, familiar feeling that made her grateful for the sense of normalcy.
This year鈥檚 24-Hour Theatre Project managed to bring the magic of the theatre to participants and audience alike. It served as a connection point for students, faculty, and alumni alike to sow into their passions while working alongside one another in innovative ways. is available to anyone wishing to watch the Zoom Theatre magic unfold. While nobody can definitively know what next year鈥檚 event might look like, it is encouraging to see 91精选鈥檚 community rise to the challenge regardless of circumstance.
