Eagan One Act Play Team Stars at State Festival

Lennie Small died too early.

That was the buzz after the One Act Play team wrapped up its performance of "Of Mice and Men" at the Minnesota State High School League's One-Act Play Festival last Friday.

High school teams participating in the one-acts are limited to 35 minutes of stage time. Go over that limit, and the team is disqualified.

With the clock running out for Eagan, the cast decided to skip several lines and head straight to the pivotal scene in "Of Mice and Men"—Lennie's tragic death at the hands of his friend, George Milton.

The move kept them under the time limit, and the team went on to win a coveted star rating from a panel of judges at the festival, which was held at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.

The situation—and the cast's quick thinking—are a good illustration of the unique challenges that face one-act teams across the state.

Unlike traditional dramatists, the students that participate on Eagan's one act play team must boil down hours of drama or comedy into a fast-paced, bare bones production that relies on economy, precise timing and skillful editing.

The process began in December, when director Nancy Owzarek chose a play and began casting. Dress rehearsals started in January this year, and the team participated in sections on Feb. 1. As the team worked its way through the season, Owzarek chipped away at the two-hour-long script for "Of Mice and Men", eventually reducing it to 35 minutes.

"For me, the hardest part of it is cutting it, taking a two-hour show and telling the story in 35 minutes," Owzarek said. “I feel like a butcher, taking a show and slashing it up."

The reduced running time challenges students, too. Cast members find their roles compressed, their ability to develop a character limited.

"It's different for us, because we have to make sure our character builds in the show, in the 35 minutes,” said Eagan High School senior Madeline Gore, who plays the role of Curly's wife in the production. "We have to make sure our character has a beginning and builds up to that big moment."

On Friday, the students were evaluated on their vocal work, technical elements, characterization and the educational values of the piece, among other standards. They were one of four teams to receive a star rating—which indicates a performance of superior quality. This is the 18th star ranking the Eagan team has received.

"They’re working with a great piece of literature, and the unique thing about the one-acts is that they get to see so many other high schools perform," Owzarek said. "Whether it's the realism of "Of Mice and Men", or the symbolism of Equus, or a Moliere French comedy...it’s just educational value and appreciation of art, and appreciation of live theater."

"I think the thing that is going to remain with me the longest is the idea of working with others and working around conflicts and dealing with my lines being cut and dealing with rules," said Eagan High School senior Dan Britt, who plays Lennie in the production. “I've really learned a lot of respect from directors like Nancy, who really push for near-perfection."