Compass Spring Theater Thrives on New Format

     Like most schools, Compass has a history of the Spring play being a big, full length production that has all sorts of merits, but also many challenges. Over the years, the Compass Players has produced a series of fine Shakespeare productions, a comedy here or there, and a brilliant student written play about Tibetan Refugees based on interviews conducted on the first Compass international trip to India.

     Like all schools, the choice of play is an annual headache. Should we always do Shakespeare? How do you find a play with enough roles for all who want them? What plays work for this age group of actors? What can we actually produce? Should we attempt a musical? There aren't many plays that work well for school age actors with multiple roles and appropriate themes.

     This year we tried a switch to performing One Act Plays. This was an effort to be more "Compass-like" in allowing more students to be involved, to open the opportunity for students to write or direct or produce some of the one acts, and to provide more choices of theater works to use.

     This year's production was a rousing success, full of laughs for the audience, and involving students from grades 7-12, many of whom were never involved in theater previously. It seemed easier to keep the energy in a shorter play format, and from one play to the next, the audience was treated to clever writing, solid acting, and sharp insights that made an enjoyable experience for all.

     Kudos to all involved, and in particular to Ron Bos-Lun and Louise Hodsen for leading this group of student actors, directors and producers to create such an entertaining event.