Review: WOMEN AND ONE ACTS FLIPS THE SCRIPT at TAFE-Theatre Arts For Everyone

TAFE (Theatre Arts for Everyone) presents its fourth Women and One Acts production for one weekend only. Women and One Acts Flips the Script is directed by Victoria Schneider with assistant director Crystal Ganong. This year's Women and One Acts seeks to highlight women-their achievements and their struggles. This production explores, through a series of short one acts written by a variety of playwrights, the challenges that face women as they attempt to reclaim their voices and tell their stories.

The lighting (designed by Manny Tellado and operated by Jessica Lowry) and sound (designed by Brhiannon Yumei and operated by Hope Lowry) set the mood and assist in the transition between acts beautifully. Additionally, the costumes (by Anne Susemihl, Jess Haag, and Erica Collison) are creative and suit the characters well. While the sets for each act are well-designed, they could easily have been simplified in order to keep the show moving more smoothly.

The large cast includes Jess Haag, David Feuerstein, Brenda Dettrey, Sydney Kessler-Appell, Jennyfir Hunter, Quinton Laughman, Gail Crow, Deb Volker, Ocean Aquino, Michaela Wagner, Kara Oldenburg-Gonzalez, Ira Schneider, Carol Oldenburg, Heather Brown, Annie Susemihl, Karen Keeney, Brhiannon Yumei, Franny McNeil, Erica Collison, and Jaime Elizabeth. The cast brings a great energy to the stage, highlighting the passion, strength, and determination of the characters they portray. While some of the performances would have benefitted from better projection so that none of the lines were missed, the cast did a wonderful job overall.

This particular production would have benefitted from a less is more philosophy, as a few of the one acts that were included, while well-acted, were not well-written. The production as a whole would have been much stronger and had a more cohesive message without these weaker selections. Luckily, the passion and talent of the cast is evident throughout the production. "Got a Light", "25 Cents", "Contrapposto", "Accounting Department", and "East Stanton Station" were audience favorites, highlighting real issues with both intensity and humor.

Women and One Acts Flips the Script is recommended for mature audiences. A talented cast and production crew give voice to the challenges women have faced throughout the decades and still face today. Visit www.tafepa.org for information on tickets.

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