March 29, 2024

Franklin announces SWCC drama club 2016-17 season

Events include a zombie-themed "escape the theater," spring play "God's Favorite" and community play "Once on This Island."

A zombie-themed “escape the theater” event, “God’s Favorite” and a Caribbean spin on “Romeo and Juliet” are on the horizon this year for Southwestern Community College’s drama club.

“It’s going to be a busy year but a really fun year for the club and the community,” said Kelly Franklin, director of SWCC drama club and English instructor.

10-minute plays

The 2016-17 season begins this fall with performances of 10-minute plays written by students, faculty and members of the community. Anyone in the community is welcome to write and submit a 10-minute play, and SWCC drama club members will choose 10 plays to perform.

The deadline for submissions is Sept. 30, and the plays will be performed twice: Nov. 17 and Nov. 18 at the Performing Arts Center in Creston.

“Last year, I said, ‘Let’s add these student and community-written plays so there’s something to do in the fall that’s not as (intensive).’ It’s a great way for some of the students who don’t get cast in the spring play to get to be in a play,” Franklin said.

The short plays are performed consecutively, so it is recommended that sets aren’t too complicated.

“Anybody can submit about whatever topic they want, and there’s no fee,” Franklin said. “Last year, we had some really weird plays, some funny plays and some thought-provoking plays. It’s kind of neat because it’s a different story each time with each show, and it gives everybody a chance to experience all kinds of emotions.”

Last year, writers submitted their plays anonymously.

“This year, we’re giving people the option to publish their name in the program if they’d like, but they don’t have to,” Franklin said. “For these plays, we make (the performances) a food drive. So, in order to get in, you bring a non-perishable food item. We first give those to SWCC students in need, and whatever is left, we donate to MATURA.”

Play submissions may be sent to Franklin at franklin@swcciowa.edu or Stephen Jefferies, SWCC English instructor, at jefferies@swcciowa.edu.

“Escape the theater”

Also in the fall, the drama club will host a zombie-themed “escape the theater” event on Halloween night.

“It’ll be kind of like one of those escape rooms, but it’s going to have a zombie theme,” Franklin said. “We’re going to have four rooms with four different puzzles in each room, and people will have to make teams and escape the room and move on to the next room. The goal is to get through all four rooms so you can get inoculated and not become a zombie.”

The community is invited to try the escape game, while drama club members will be the actors.

“This is something we’ve never done before,” said Jefferies, who helps with the drama club. “We tried the haunted house last year, but I think this will be fun because it’s more of collaborative problem-solving, it’s on a timer ... (and) it gives our actors a chance to be creepy or odd or mysterious, whatever the case calls for. It also gives us a chance to try our wit against the community, so to speak.”

He added: “I think what Kelly and I are most excited about is putting together the different puzzles and watching people try to unravel the story that’s kind of hiding beneath all the little oddities scattered throughout the room.”

Cost and deadline to sign up for the event are to be determined. Contact Franklin for more information.

“God’s Favorite”

The spring play this year will be “God’s Favorite,” a comedy by Neil Simon that’s loosely based on the Biblical book of Job.

“It’s a very famous, hilarious show with a small cast,” Franklin said. “It’s about a man (Joe Benjamin) who’s been very, very lucky his entire life ... and his children are spoiled beyond belief. Another guy shows up one day and says he’s a messenger from God and that God and Satan had a bet that (Joe) would renounce God. It’s really, really funny with a neat message.”

The play will be performed by the drama club March 30, March 31 and April 1 at the Performing Arts Center in Creston. Cost will be $5 for students and $7 for the general public.

“Once on This Island”

The summer performance, following the SWCC Little Spartan Drama Camp for ages 4 to 12, will be cast using both youth from the drama camp and people in the community.

The show will be “Once on This Island,” a musical based on the novel “My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl.” Set in the Caribbean, it includes elements of this book, the “Romeo and Juliet” story and fairytale “The Little Mermaid.”

“It has a lot of neat rhythms and sounds,” Franklin said. “It’s not, obviously, as maturely themed as ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ But, we’re still going with our Shakespeare summer play theme; I just found a retelling of it.”

“Once on This Island” will be performed as part of Creston’s Fourth of July festivities at the McKinley Park band shell, weather permitting. Cost is to be determined.

Joining drama club

Any students interested in joining the drama club may attend the initial meeting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in room 145 of the instructional building at SWCC.

The club meets once or twice a month, and participants have the opportunity to be in plays but don’t have to be.

“One of the most exciting things is to meet new students who are fresh and excited about the idea of acting,” Jefferies said. “Being energetic is part of being onstage, but when you see someone who has this unbridled, genuine enthusiasm for this new, exciting thing they’re doing, it absolutely rubs off, so it’s nice to get some fresh blood in there and see people break out of their shells.”