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Two student-directed plays debut this weekend at MCC's Weeth Theater
McCOOK, Neb. — The directorial debuts of two McCook Community College sophomore theater majors are set for this weekend when a pair of one-act plays will be staged at the Weeth Theater in Tipton Hall on campus.
Luis Guardado will direct “The Actor’s Nightmare” and Brandon Molcyk directs “Trifles,” in three performances Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Luis Guardado, a Lexington High School graduate, selected the play “The Actor’s Nightmare” a short comic play by Christopher Durang which involves an accountant named George Spelvin, who is mistaken for an actor’s understudy and gets thrust into a play for which he doesn’t know any of the lines.
Guardado first came to the MCC campus for a gathering of high school students putting audition materials together for scholarships — but ultimately he decided he really liked what MCC had to offer. He arrived on campus short on self-confidence but said his two years in the theater program have changed that.
He’s enjoyed helping the actors in his play understand their characters by asking directed questions about how their character would react in certain situations.
“One of the things that’s been fun is that since my show is comedy, I’ve had to think of weird, wacky things to do,” Guardado, “the actors haven’t accepted all my ideas, but it’s been fun to involve them in helping make certain situations funnier with my suggestions or theirs, and this collaborative process seems to work.”
After he graduates, Guardado would like to go on to get a degree in musical theater, but he also likes other elements of theater like voice acting and making sound effects, so he wants to keep his options open. And while he still prefers acting, with his directing experience, he said he wouldn’t be opposed to directing in the future.
Brandon Molcyk, a McCook High School graduate, chose playwright Susan Glaspell’s one-act play, “Trifles” loosely based on true events. As a young reporter, Glaspell covered a murder case in a small town in Iowa. This is a play about a murder investigation.
Molcyk said so far rehearsals have gone pretty smooth, just a few small hiccups as he focuses in earnest on the set and props. The one change for this play is that he switches roles, having always been one of the actors.
“It’s definitely been interesting to see how my viewpoint has changed,” Molcyk said. “As an actor, you’re always concentrating on your own role, your lines and your character’s perspective but as the director, you’ve got multiple big-picture responsibilities and have to make sure everything ties together – especially all the fine details like props, costumes and the set.”
He’s looking forward to presenting this play and said anybody who enjoys a good mystery and open-ended intrigue should enjoy this play as well as anybody who supports live local theater.
On track to graduate in May, Molcyk will transfer to the University of Wyoming where he plans to pursue a bachelor’s in fine arts with a focus on theater. He said he chose Wyoming because of its affordability, and strong theater program. Plus, as a snowboarder, the Snowy Range Ski Area near the Laramie campus and the lure of the mountains, all contributed to his choice.
This weekend’s one-act plays are set for Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.
There is no admission charge for these plays, which may not be suitable for children.