35 Years of One Acts at Harvey
May 2022 Issue 5
By Sam Alexander
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On April 22 and 23, in the Lasdon Theater, Harvey celebrated the 35th anniversary of The Harvey School’s One Acts. Thirty-five years hold a lot of history, so to learn the background of this tradition, The Pulse interviewed Mrs. Dianne Mahony, who brought the concept of student-written and directed one-act plays to Harvey. Mrs. Mahony said that the One Acts are based on a program from college she was involved in. She said she transferred and modified the college program to fit into more of a high school setting. Mrs. Mahony stated, “The One Acts are so important because they are world premieres. They are the new American theatre. There is something very exciting about having a student voice give a certain level of legitimacy.” When asked about how she feels about the tradition lasting for 35 years, Mrs. Mahony stated, “I am happy … happy it is still going strong.” The One Acts have become such a popular after-school activity at Harvey. Mrs. Mahony created a program that causes students to be excited about their own plays.
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It is a chance for young playwrights and directors to showcase their work. But since the beginning of the program, a lot of changes have been made.
Cast and Crew of the 2022 One Acts. Photo Courtesy of Ms. Virginia Holmes.
The Pulse asked Mrs. Mahony about the evolution of the One Acts, and she responded, “When we first started out, I insisted that the directors could not direct their own work. That has changed a little bit, as now there is much more directing of students’ own plays.” Another major part of this year’s performance is that the One Acts are back in the Lasdon Theater for the first time in two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs. Mahony expressed, “The One Acts are so resilient because even during that first year of the pandemic, when we were sent home early for Spring Break, we maintained online rehearsals and did a recorded Zoom version of the plays. But it is nice to return home to the theater.” This year, there were two plays written and directed by seniors Amanda Mohamad and Cody Siegel. The Pulse also interviewed both Amanda and Cody about their experiences with the One Acts during this historic year. Amanda’s play is about young love and having to overcome differences regarding family and background. Amanda talked about her process when it came to writing. She explained that during Mrs. Mahony’s Playwriting elective, “We don’t jump right into starting the script. We have to come up with the
basic situation and resolutions and establish what we want the audience to know by the end. The big bumper sticker message on the back of a car.” Amanda expressed that one of her favorite parts about the One Acts is the fact that it is practically a “Google Doc that comes to life.” She added, “Sometimes, I just need to sit back and say, ‘Wow! This is happening!’” The second student director this year is Cody Siegel. His play is about a torrid and dangerous romance. He stated that his favorite part about directing the One Acts is “watching the play take place right in front of me, like I am an audience member.” Cody continued, “Doing this production has inspired me to continue to do this work at the collegiate level and beyond.” The One Acts are so popular at Harvey because they give students a sense of leadership and the ability to express their voices. Thirty-five years ago, Mrs. Mahony gave students the chance to write and direct their own plays, and to this day, the One Acts program is still one of Harvey’s greatest traditions. Mrs. Mahony told The Pulse, “Every year is its own kind of magic.” This magic will grow as the One Acts continue to be a long-lasting tradition at The Harvey School.