Interview: Caylyn Faith Billing, Audrey Leveritt, Cameron Wade, Chelsea Cooper, And Shiloh McDonald of OUT OF THE ORDINARY: A ONE ACTE JOURNEY at Morrilton High School

One-Acts are an essential component of theatre education, offering students the chance to explore storytelling, direction, and performance in a concentrated format. This spring, seniors  Caylyn Faith Billing, Audrey Leveritt, Cameron Wade, Chelsea Cooper, and Shiloh McDonald , Leah Burguete, Amelia Hicks and Kayli Gentry at Morrilton High School embraced that opportunity for their final production of the year. From April 10–13, the Morrilton Thespian Troupe took full creative control for OUT OF THE ORDINARY: A ONE-ACTS JOURNEY. The students selected the material, directed, performed, stage managed, and handled every aspect of production, showcasing an impressive range of talent and dedication. The lineup included Franklin Pierce, Dragon Slayer, We Open Tomorrow Night, The Little Prince, Oddball, and Frying Pan to Frying Pan. It was a great night of theatre—one that celebrated student leadership, creativity, and a deep love for the craft. 

Though they are extremely busy with graduation activities, we were able to ask a few questions from Caylyn, Audrey, Cameron Wade, Chelsea, and Shiloh.  

BWW: What were your highs and lows of the one acts being your last show at MHS? 

Caylyn Faith Billing: One of the greatest highs of directing my final MHS production was having the chance to mentor and recruit underclassmen into the theatre program. It meant a lot to step into a leadership role, to apply everything Mrs. Hooten has taught me over the years, and to showcase the skills I’ve developed. The biggest challenge was balancing schoolwork with the immense responsibility of directing The Little Prince while managing all the technical elements. It was incredibly rewarding but also exhausting. 

Audrey Leveritt: One of the highs was definitely directing my own show. It felt like a nice way to wrap up my theatre journey as my first show was a one act. A low would probably be that I didn’t get to act as much as I wanted though. 

Camron Wade: I definitely faced the stress of trying to get everything together without freaking out when things didn’t go perfectly. But my highest moments came from believing in my actors—knowing that no matter what happened, they gave it their all. I didn’t spend too much time worrying about this being my last show at MHS, because Mrs. Hooten often invites alumni back to audition for future productions. So, who knows? This might not be my final performance here. Even if I don’t get to experience another one-act, I know there will be more opportunities for me in the future. I don’t need to stress or worry about what comes next. I’m just grateful I got to be part of this experience while I could—and if it turns out to be my last one, I’m content knowing I made the most of it. 

Chelsea Cooper: The pressure to make sure you show was going to be great because it is the last play I would be doing, and I wanted to display how much I have learned from theatre. 

Shiloh McDonald: A high was that I got to be in charge of a really fun collaborative event. A low was that I didn't get to have a super put together send off. 

BWW: What have you learned from your theatre education:  

Caylyn: Theatre has taught me so much far beyond what happens on stage. I carry lessons from theatre into my everyday life, whether it’s about communication, collaboration, or confidence. 

Audrey: I would say it has taught me that if a team wants to be truly successful, everyone needs to be clear on what they want and what they want to get done from the get go. Communication is key. 

Cameron: You really can’t do everything alone and I have learned that by being stubborn and wanting to direct and do everything on my own. There is a lot of hardwork and dedication that goes into theatre and you need those that you can trust to help you out or you may not reach the deadline.   

Chelsea: It taught me no matter who you think you could never work with, you can get through it and that you just need to just work together no matter what.   

Shiloh: Theatre has taught me teamwork, because it has taught me to rely on other people. It taught me that I have to trust other people to do their part. 

BWW: Do you have any advice for Incoming Freshmen?

Caylyn: Joining theatre will be one of the best decisions you ever made. It opens so many doors, gives you a true sense of belonging, and quickly begins to feel like home. 

Audrey: Always get a head start on things, this applies to both actors and crew. That off book date will creep up on you, and props and set will take longer than you think. 

Cameron: I know it's scary, but being scared is a waste of energy (speaking from personal experience). Make sure that you take care of the space around you and it will take care of you. You may not know what I mean by that now, but you will later on.   

Chelsea: Have as much fun as you can. Be the theatre kid; it is great you have another family!!   

Shiloh: My advice is to have faith. Have faith in yourself and those around you. If you can't trust your scene partners, then you won't perform well. You have to have trust so you can keep going no matter what. 

BWW: What does your theatre family mean to you? 

Caylyn: My theatre family means everything to me. I’ve never felt more at home, more seen, or more loved than in this group. Being part of this family has given me purpose, and I hope every new thespian who joins feels the same. 

Audrey: To me, it’s like the kids table at thanksgiving, or christmas. Like the people around you have been chosen to be put next to you, and you are still forced to be together, but unlike the grown up table you don’t have to act a certain way. There’s no pressure to be perfect, and everyone there is someone you can get along with. While it varies in age, it’s still fun to hang out with everyone.  

Cameron: Theatre family to me means that you are able to be your most authentic self without being judged because all of you are doing something that the vast majority of people are too scared or aren’t willing to do. And we also have a bond of trust with each other through this connection.  

Chelsea: Everything -- they are the people that stuck by you and got me through high school.  

Shiloh: I feel a bit disconnected from my theatre family, but I still do enjoy them. Every theatre family I've been a part of has been so inviting, and, mostly, nice.  

BWW: What will you miss the most about high school theatre? 

Caylyn: I’ll half-jokingly say I’ll miss those long rehearsals that go until 8:30 p.m. But truthfully, I’ll miss the beautiful collaboration of everyone coming together to create something meaningful and of course, I’ll miss Mrs. Hooten and my theatre family dearly. 

Audrey: Probably the ability to see everyone's hard work come out into a beautiful product. There’s nothing quite like a show to see how everyone's work paid off. 

Cameron: I will miss the connections I made with certain people that inspired me to grow and become a better person, as well as the bountiful amount of possibilities offered to me. Without these people and opportunities I wouldn’t have been able to grow and create as much as I did. 

Chelsea: I will miss the people and all the memories we make at rehearsal or just being together. 

Shiloh: I will miss the fun of it. Everyone is so close in age, and we all understand what we're going through. There's a complex simplicity to it that's so comforting.