The AU Department of Performing Arts “New Student Showcase” Sept. 24 was a brilliant display of actors in the making. Just as one would expect from an Acting 101 class, some students were rougher than others, but the force of their combined performances never ceased to be charming or provide insight into learning the art of acting and the unique experience of freshman year at college.
The showcase was an interesting bit of metafiction. The first part, “Almost Me,” told the story of the new Performing Arts 101 class as the students prepared for their first audition. Each actor played a fully developed character that faced different challenges or brought unique baggage to their education.
While the story’s sole purpose was clearly to illuminate the audience on the many obstacles facing acting students, the actors were essentially playing brilliantly exaggerated versions of characters they know too well: the wide-eyed college freshmen, simultaneously overwhelmed and exhilarated by the commencement of a new phase in their lives.
Every student in the audience could surely identify with the exasperated calls home, the siren song of procrastination or the nervous, self-doubting moments spent with a new crush, all played with charm and authenticity.
As they were cast in their parts in the musical, the first act ended and the musical “Outta Here” began.
The actors reappeared playing the roles they were cast in at the end of “Almost Me.” This second play told the story of a drama group after members have graduated and are returning to college for a reunion.
Once again, the stereotypical scenarios are present, but nonetheless well realized.
There’s the playwright who married his college sweetheart and switched to a boring government job to make ends meet. The starving actor who followed his dreams straight into his dad’s basement, but refuses to quit his passion. The girl who made a few poor decisions and comes back pregnant (and spends a few amusing moments describing what it was like to play a pregnant woman in a play).
The songs were amusingly witty with a bit of profanity thrown in for good measure. Some actors merely showed potential, while others will surely be looked for in any upcoming musicals.
As an introduction to the actors who will surely be appearing in AU productions for the next few years, the “New Student Showcase” showed there will certainly be some excellent performances to look forward to.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
