Five Ladue seniors are taking their final bow on the Ladue stage as they debut their self-directed and produced scenes for the annual Ladue One Acts May 4 and 5 at 7 p.m.

The five scenes, which average between 15 to 20 minutes, are each directed by seniors and Acting III students Paige Carlson, Isaac Walker, Josh Wolderufael, Alexandra Mitchell and Lily Boalbey.

“The one acts are different from other productions in multiple ways,” freshman Jack Lavey said. “Each student selects a one act, a short play, and covers all parts of its production from auditioning to tech.”

The one acts will also be presented in an entirely new theatrical setting. Each show will be performing ‘in the round,’ meaning the audience will be seated on all sides of the Black Box stage, closer than ever to the performers.

The senior directors each run auditions, callbacks, casting, and all rehearsals, along with choosing a stage manager to assist with technical elements of the show.

“We have [Ladue Theatre director Janine Burmeister] to advise us but we are responsible for the show itself,” Carlson said. “It’s nice to have her around as a resource, having worked with her on shows in the past, because we get to see what the directing process is like for her.”

While all of the seniors have had the opportunity to direct each other in Acting III productions, it’s their first time directing a full cast in an entire production, Carlson said.

“Each one of them has brought in some elements of Burmeister’s directing techniques and harnessed them extremely well,” Lavey said.

The seniors each chose their one act from pre-written scenes, which they have decided on as early as their first semester. A profusive amount of preparation is vital.

“I actually prefer it that way,” Carlson said. “It’s really interesting to take a work that was already written and bring it to life.”

Carlson’s show is one of the two dramas this year, centering around a gambler named Photo Finish living in a Texas jail during the 1940s. While in jail, he persuades a girl named Emily into escaping.

“I actually picked my one act last year after I read it in a book of one acts that we happened to have in the library,” Carlson said. “I fell in love with the script immediately.”

Other one acts include Mitchell’s scene centering around a less-than-super superhero trying to find a new sidekick and Walker’s “Your Life is a Feature Film.”

“It’s about a young man who has grown up with a normal life, but finds that his life was being filmed for a film the entire time,” sophomore Catie Ryan said. “And everyone around him is just an actor.”

While the actors and directors work hard at rehearsals three days a week, the experience is bittersweet, Lavey said.

“They’ve been working together for years now and have become so compassionate towards each other that I know they are sad to leave,” Lavey said. “But at the same time I know that they’re ready to move on to great things, so it’s a very happy occasion for them to keep on going.”

As the seniors leave the Ladue stage for the last time, they look forward to watching their younger classmates take over the spotlight.

“Ladue theatre is a huge family, and it’ll be hard to say goodbye to them,” Carlson said. “We have so many amazingly talented people who aren’t seniors and I’m excited to come back and see the phenomenal shows they will put on.”

The one acts serve as the seniors’ last gift to their Ladue audience before leaving next year.

“There are such a variety of them it’s guaranteed they will appeal anyone that comes to see them,” Ryan said. #