As Scituate High School Drama wraps up their winter festival play, “The Crucible”, they look forward to the excitement surrounding this year’s SpringFest. A drama club tradition, Student Directed One Acts have appeared for the last two years in SHS Drama’s repertoire, whether it be 2011’s production of “Paper or Plastic”, directed by SHS graduates Nicole Meyerson and Andrew Lemieux, or last year’s enormously successful WinterFest, a collection of plays directed by members of SHS’s Thespian Society.

This year, Thespian Society members will choose and direct a selection of 10 minute plays, which will be judged by an esteemed panel of SHS teachers and administration. Thespian Society will utilize a different kind of process when selecting their plays this year, which will not only allow for them to perform little known original pieces, but also help working playwrights gain notoriety.

SHS Drama Club director, Lisa Rafferty, said  “This year, I posted a submission notice on a national playwriting group I am a part of, calling for a maximum of 50 submissions of 10-minute plays.  Within days, we received wonderful short plays from all over the country, which the reading committee will select a final list of 7 pieces for Spring Fest 2013.” Mrs.Rafferty, although not directing anything for SHS this spring, will be advising SpringFest.

The competitive spirit heats up as prospective thespians prepare for today’s auditions. Rather than students choosing which play they wish to audition for, SpringFest casting is done NFL draft-style. Students will audition in front of all the directors, who will have chosen numbers prior to auditions, to decide who will have first pick among the crop of young actors. This style of auditioning, although uncommon, allows for more casting opportunities for actors as well as the directors.

When asked about the anticipation growing around auditions, Senior Emily Law, a student director, said “The one act plays are always an amazing opportunity. We get to see the directing and producing side of theatre, and it is great seeing new faces at auditions. The new process of narrowing down a selection of 10 minute plays has allowed for a very impressive lineup of one acts, because as a panel, we have truly found the best of the best. It definitely promises to be a phenomenal night of student talent.”

This overwhelming enthusiasm is sure to, once again, make SpringFest a huge success. Auditions will be held after school today in Ms. Fanelli’s room. Monologues will be available at the door.