Forty minutes. That is all the time the One Act Play casts has to show off their hard work. They have seven minutes to set and seven minutes to strike, but as far as the acting goes, 40 minutes is all the cast has to perform.

The cast of the One Act Play cast is currently preparing their production of “One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” for their contest on March 9, 2022. Today they are competing in a clinic at Lake Creek High School in Montgomery. 

“I love the theater, and that’s a big reason why I love doing one act,” senior Faith Miner said. “The bonuses would be the family you get with it, it is so much fun to get out of your comfort zone and be able to produce something magical.”

One Act is about trusting the director and the cast if the play wants to get far.

“We have a great cast and an amazing director,” sophomore James Pate said. “So I think we’ll advance at least to district and hopefully further”

These new memories, friends and the offering of a challenge give people excitement about being a part of a One Act Play.

“I really am excited, I think this show has the potential to be the best one we’ve done in my time here, as well as the hardest role I’ve ever undertaken,” senior Joshua Brookshire said. “I’m coming straight out of the musical which gives me whiplash, but I am excited for what comes next.”

This excitement keeps many coming back every year.

“I am definitely coming back next year,” Pate said. “One Act is always the theatrical high of the year. It’s like all the shows we do are just leading up to one big one and that big one is one act, I think it’s definitely the best as well as the most fun show we do every year.”

The theater makes lasting memories all the time and those memories are very special in the hearts of participating students.

“I have had a lot of really great one act memories, it’d be hard to narrow it down,” Brookshire said. “It could be the bus ride back from the competition in my eighth grade year. Or the time we advanced my sophomore year. My sophomore year we got first, and I obtained a really high level acting award. It is bittersweet to think about, considering we never got to do our second show due to corona.”

The annual One Act Play is a very special thing for the students that are involved in it, it creates a plethora of fond memories, offers a challenge for any that are willing to take it and most importantly, it brings people together as you all work towards the mutual goal of advancing.

“I haven’t been doing One Act for very long, but even in the short amount of time I’ve been here, it has honestly been so fun,” junior Benjamin Bowles said. “After only a few days I think that it is very likely I’ll be back next year.”