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The drama department’s final production of the year, One Act Play Festival, premiered last Thursday and ran until Saturday evening.

The two plays featured in the festival were directed by seniors Nolan Reeves and Stefanie Chordigian respectively. Both seniors are long-time members of the drama department and directed a total of six shows between them.

“[The last show] is bittersweet,” said Chordigian. “I’m going to UCLA for theatre, but this is where I started. It really breaks my heart to leave because this is the last show I’m doing on this stage.”

The play began with an introduction of the two student directors by drama teacher Mr. Richard Winterstein. Winterstein commended the two seniors on their accomplishments in drama and cited their numerous contributions to Cam High’s theater.

“The show brings me a lot of happiness, not just for me, but for the students.” said Winterstein. “[The show] has been very successful, and it is such a joy to see Stefanie and Nolan receive the reviews from the audience.”

The first of the two plays was a comedy directed by Reeves and followed the interview process for a fictional company called BAMF. The employers of BAMF receive many unusual applicants for the job, and those who seem most qualified are the turned away. Applicants with no job skills and little experience are given top earning positions, increasing the comedic value of the show as each applicant brings less skill to the employer. The lights dim slowly as the play progresses, and the employer himself is eventually replaced by the last applicant, who then conducts the next interview.

Chordigan directed the second act, a show revolving around the rehearsal process in a high school setting. Also a comedy, the show features dramatic screams, off-key singing, and intentionally uncoordinated dancing through vibrant characters including an abrasive stage manager, a well-meaning stagehand, a discombobulated group of inexperienced actors, and a desperate drama teacher. Two shy characters act as the leads in the musical, which leads to frustration as the actors try to upstage each other in numerous comedic ways. The hilarity of the play stems from the sheer chaos and disorganization of the fictional drama department.

The One Act Play Festival was attended by dozens of locals, and the final show of the festival ended with an uproar of cheers and congratulations for the graduating senior directors. “It was very well-received by the audience,” said Winterstein. “Their [Stefanie and Nolan’s] talent is going to be missed for sure.”

“Everything I’ve learned in theatre has been piled onto this show,” said Chordigian. “It turned out fantastic, but it was kind of nightmarish in the beginning. I know now how to get things done more effectively and communicate more efficiently. This play was a much better experience than my previous plays.”

“I was happy for the students, the audience enjoyed it, and we’re looking forward to next year,” said Winterstein.  “A lot of the students here are going to be drama stalwarts next year.”