As is tradition at Solon High School, One Acts are back and will be performed on Feb. 16 and 17. One Acts serves as a creative outlet for young directors wanting to showcase their directing ability. Each group of students direct a play and then utilize the talents of other students to perform in them. The plays range from dramas to comedies and everything in between.

Jeremy Klein, a senior and director of the play “Tracks,” has been on stage himself as an actor and is looking forward to experiencing One Acts from a different perspective.

“I have participated in the One Acts each of the last three years,” Klein said. “I was a performer my sophomore year, a stage manager last year and now I’m a director. We are all very excited to show everyone what we’ve been working so hard on for the past two months and I personally can’t wait to see how fantastic it ends up being.”

Klein’s play will follow the experiences of a few ordinary people who have found themselves waiting in a mysterious subway station. For Klein, it’s a dream come true, especially after watching his siblings direct for years.

“One Acts are a fantastic opportunity for underclassmen to be cast in a show and upperclassmen to obtain the experience needed to produce one,” Klein said. “I remember going to see my older brothers perform in the One Acts when I was younger and I thought it was so cool they were given these types of opportunities.”

Carter Asnien, a senior and director, will be directing a play that is a shorter rendition of “Clue,” a movie in which several people attend a mysterious dinner and are eventually forced to solve a murder. Asnien mentioned that being a director is also an immense privilege as it gives way to many new opportunities for anyone who enjoys theater.

“Being a director really has put everything into perspective,” Asnien said. “…I really love what One Acts can do for everyone. It gives the option to try something new. Crew members can act and actors can stage manage. It’s really amazing.”

Asnien encouraged other fellow students to come and support all the plays being produced– not just to enjoy them but also to appreciate the hard work done by other classmates.

“People should see all the one acts just because they’re made by students,” Asnien said. “It’s important to support other students and what they do.”

Erin Eisner, a senior and director of  “Perfect”, has been able to act in One Acts for every year up until this one. As a former performer, Eisner appreciates the dedication her cast has shown thus far on her play and has high hopes for the end result.

“My cast has worked extremely hard, and it has been such a blessing to have Maria Priore as my co-director,” Eisner said. “I am so grateful to be working with someone that really meshes well with me, and I believe our show has the potential to be amazing. We just have to keep working hard!”

Eisner also understands that not everyone has the luxury of performing in the regular plays/musicals that SHS produces, so One Acts is just another opportunity for those who couldn’t make the cut in the Spring/Fall.

“One Acts is also special because it is a chance to be in a more laid back environment and gives the people who don’t always have the chance to have a main role in the fall play and the spring musical an opportunity to have lines and bigger roles in order to develop their skills,” Eisner said.

Olivia Chamberlain, a senior and director for One Acts, is producing a play that is far different from the others listed above. Chamberlain’s play is a comedy and her hope is that viewers will both enjoy the show and get a good laugh at the same time.

“It’s called ‘Bad Auditions by Bad Actors’ and it’s what it sounds like,” Chamberlain said. “It’s basically that scene from the first High School Musical movie where everyone auditioning sucks and it’s hilarious watching them try to perform. We hope that our show makes the audience laugh. That’s really the only goal we have.”

If one thing is for sure, One Acts has something for everyone. Even for those who don’t regularly come to school-sponsored plays or don’t enjoy theater, One Acts is unique in that it brings every genre to the stage as well as raise money for seniors in need of scholarship money and other sorts of financial aid.

“It’s four very different shows,” Chamberlain said. “All shows will appeal to each member [of] the audience because each show is of a different drama and style. Come to support all of your peers and all of the money earned from the show goes to provide the scholarships given out to seniors at the end of the year, so the more people that come, the more scholarships that can be given out!”

“Tracks” is directed by Jeremy Klein and Meredith Maiorana while “Bad Auditions for Bad Actors” is directed by Olivia Chamberlain and Greg Davidson. Erin Eisner and Maria Priore are the directors of “Perfect” and “The Murderous Mansion of Mr. Uno” is directed by Carter Asnien and Talia Mesnick. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at shsdrama.org at the tickets tab.