New Theater Program Puts Students in the Director’s Chair

For the first time, the Theater Department will allow students to direct and be in control of their own productions as part of a new Student Studio Series.

The Student Studio Series is a new biannual program which provides one theatre student a semester the chance to propose a project to the department, allowing them to direct, produce, design, perform or write their own plays.

The program started after Theater Senior Sarah El Shazly proposed the idea of directing Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play J. Hopped The ‘A’ Train to the Chair of the Department of Arts Jeanne Arnold.

Arnold and Theater Professor Jillian Campana then came up with the idea of launching the new Student Studio Series, which allowed El Shazly to direct her play.

“As students who have taken part in the theater program, we’ve participated in building these productions. We wanted to start our own thing. Do it on our own, before getting out in the real world,” El-Shazly told The Caravan. 

Usually, students direct their own plays only when they are working on their senior thesis in directing – which is considered a course.

For example, theater major Adham El-Kassem last semester directed Eugene Ionesco’s The Future is in Eggs, performed in the Gerhart Theatre.

“Adham’s play was different [from the Student Studio Series], because it was part of our season, as we do two plays every semester. These [seasonal productions] are about creating something that is ready for an audience, and has a lot of time [it was prepared for a semester in advance] and resources,” said Campana.

However, El-Shazly had already done her senior thesis in acting. With her desire to direct still unfulfilled, she sent a proposal to the faculty, asking if she can direct her own play apart from the Senior Thesis Program.

“We went back and forth with the faculty, and we had some issues at the beginning, like finding the space we’d perform on, etc. However, in the end, the faculty decided to conduct this program,” said El-Shazly.

After a student’s proposal is accepted, the department provides the space and allocates the number of performance nights.

“When Sarah went to the chair [Arnold] and then came to me, it seemed like it was a good time to do a project that would give the students more ownership,” stated Campana.

Campana then became the faculty advisor for the Student Studio Series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsYsvyUW2xg

However, there are still some regulations that these students have to follow.

To begin with, the university prohibits students from charging audiences tickets for the performances. 

Secondly, the university will not fund the production, and students are not allowed to use the custodians’ help, or any of the costumes or props; El Shazly will have to fund the play on her own.

Campana said that these guidelines are to provide more of an opportunity for the students to explore the process independently and that, in the end, it’s not an official Theater Department production. Although there will be some faculty oversight, it’s much less than what a student doing his or her senior thesis will face.

She also added that this Series shouldn’t be seen as a competition to the two major plays, which are scheduled every semester. Students should get involved in the major productions first, like they always do. Those who aren’t busy or involved with these productions, can participate in the Student Studio Series.

“We want students to look at it as a project, and go way more in depth. That’s why Sarah’s production is an edited/shorter version of a full length play,” added Campana.

J. Hopped The ‘A’ Train is a play that takes place in Rikers Island, in New York City. It revolves around a character called Angel Cruz who shoots a reverend and gets sent to jail. Then people see his conflict of faith and how he deals with the accountability of his actions.

Cruz is played by Ezzat Abd El-Nour, Lucius Jenkins by Karim El-Alfy, Mary Jane Hanrahan by Nadine Abd El-Razek, Valdez by Ali El-Shourbagy, Charlie D’Amico by Amira El-Shorbagy and The Guard played by Zeyad El-Badrawy.

“It’s a student production, so all of us are coming together in whatever role or in anything that needs to be taken care of,” said Karim El-Alfy, a graduating senior majoring in finance, who’s acting and co-directing the play with El-Shazly.

El-Alfy also played the role of Samir Fakhry in last year’s play, Sima Awanta, while Ghoneim worked as an assistant stage manager.

“Working with a student is different because there’s no hierarchy. Everyone gets a say in what we do. Usually stage managers aren’t allowed to have any creative input, but here, because we’re all students, I can share my own ideas and the directors and they’re very open to it,” said Laila Ghoneim, a junior majoring in English and Comparative Literature, who is also stage managing the play.

“Sarah is such a talented director and actor, so I think she’s the perfect person to launch this,” said Campana.

The play will be showcased at the Gerhart Theater on December 2 and 3 at 7:00 pm.