About Night Of One Acts

Director’s Notes:

            Welcome to the 31st annual Night of One Acts! The NIGHT OF ONE ACTS is a long-standing tradition at CMHS. I started it in 1994 as a way to give every theatre student a chance to understand and apply all the skills they learn in class through an actual performance experience. Drama students usually wrap up their first semester with the creation and performance of an original monologue that is also an audition for a one-act play. Advanced Acting students review scripts, pitch them to the class, and vote on the ones they are most interested in producing. Then the Technical Theatre students bring in their skill and talent to design a set, lights, sound, props, costumes etc. Almost all rehearsals take place in class and then the entire show is pulled together a few days after school before the night of the actual performance. This project brings together the student performing for the very first time with the student that has been performing since they were 3 years old. It allows the Technical Theatre student to dip their toe into the world of design on small-scale projects, and provides opportunities for some of the Advanced Acting students to try their hand at directing. THE NIGHT OF ONE ACTS is like the ultimate group project!

             I love the tradition of NIGHT OF ONE ACTS project because the results for students is like no other. With the one-act experience project under their belts, I see increased confidence and stage presence, the ability to make strong choices as an actor and a designer, a better sense of timing, and an overall feeling of accomplishment.

          Drama is not offered in school so that future stars will be born, but rather to breed an understanding, respect, and appreciation of the art of theatre. The study of drama teaches commitment, concentration, creativity, and cooperation. Students need to work collaboratively in theatre and their successful interaction in theatre carries over into successful interaction in real-life settings.

          With all that said, what you are about to see is the culmination of time, effort, energy, sweat, and yes, even a few tears - the Drama & Advanced Acting students and the Technical Theatre students have committed to this project since December. From first-time performers, designers, and directors to the most experienced drama students Cheyenne Mtn. has to offer - we welcome you and invite you to sit back and enjoy the ride!! 

One Act Plays

PERSUASION

by: Jane Austen, adapted by: Ashley J. Barnard

Controlling Interest

by: Wayne S. Rawley

Game of Tiaras

by: Don Zolidis

A Witch's Tale

by: Atom Drain

White-Tailed Spider

by: Joseph Arone

Cheyenne Mountain High School

Cheyenne Mtn. HS Drama has a long history of excellent Theatre Education & Productions. Students may take class in: Drama, Advanced Acting (entry through audition only), Theatrical Makeup, Improvisation, and Technical Theatre. Students in classes produce A NIGHT OF ONE ACTS in February for which Drama & Advanced Acting students perform and direct and Technical Theatre students design, build/create, and run crew.

All students may audition for school productions. A Fall Musical is produced every-other year in November and a Fall Play is produced on the "off" years of the musical. Often the Fall Musical is performed in the Lloyd Shaw Auditorium, which seats over 700 audience members. Fall Plays are performed in our intimate Black Box Theatre which, depending on the configuration of the set, seats between 100 - 135 audience members.  A Spring Play is performed in April in our Black Box Theatre. Drama students are encouraged to collaborate with Fine Art and Video Production students for such things as publicity (poster/program/merch design elements) and for aspects of the show that could benefit from video elements.

CMHS Drama Club hosts a Coffee House/Open Mic Night in January in the Black Box. All students are welcome to perform.  The Improvisation class performs Improv Night in the Black Box and develops the show as they see fit with short form, long-form, and sketch comedy.

Advanced Acting students perform in a Thespian Showcase in December before attending the Colorado State Thespian Convention. They write, direct, perform, and produce an end-of-the-year show, DON'T YELL FIRE IN A THEATRE! (30 plays in 60 minutes).