The Mundelein Theatre season usually starts with student directed one acts, followed by their New Faces play for freshman and sophomores. Of course, this year has been anything but normal. So earlier this year, the theatre staff decided that in order to work most effectively under the COVID guidelines, they would move their fall play to early in the school year (an outdoor production of Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare) and combine the one acts with New Faces. They not only combined the shows, but they have moved it to a virtual platform. An Evening of Student Directed One Acts, A New Faces Production, will stream on December 18 and 19 at 7 PM CST. Tickets are $6 per person or $20 per family. TIckets for this streamed production can be purchased at www.mundeleintheare.org.
The program consists of twelve short plays, all directed by Mundelein Theatre seniors. Additionally, the MHS Shakespeare Slam team will present their newest piece, a scene from Hamlet. Since this is a New Faces Production, it means that the performers in the show are primarily the youngest theatre artists at MHS. “It is going to be a compelling night of theatre,” said Jeff Harding, director of New Faces. “These shows have a wide variety of styles, genres and subject matter. And since the cast is made up of our young actors, everyone will get a great opportunity to see the future of Mundelein Theatre.” Jonathan Meier, theatre director at MHS said, “These seniors have all worked very hard over the last four years to earn the right to direct their own shows. It is very gratifying to see how much they have grown as they get to helm their own shows.” The shows were filmed in a variety of locations, including some that utilized Zoom.
The directors are Bella Buono, Matthew Callas, Rosy Castro, Joslyn Gange, Mira Guiritan, Dean Hahn, Alexis Lee, Amari Liebe, Mary McMurray, Megan Saunders, Zoe Trahan and Marley Wilkins. For further information, go to www.mundeleintheatre.org.