Behind The Scenes: E3

Through the directors point of view.

There is a lot that goes into directing and writing the play. When you are the director of a play; you are its backbone and it is your job to create the play. According to Cornell courses, “the director is in charge, at all times, of leading others and inspiring motivation and confidence that the final product of the production is a process to which it is worth devoting time and energy.” Usually the first step for a director is to choose a play to direct, however, Hannah Thompson also wrote the play she is directing.

A big responsibility of the director is casting their play. The actors/actresses can make or break the play, therefore, it is a lot of pressure choosing who is right for the play. Then there are costumes, lighting and sound that you may require the collaboration with others.

During the rehearsal period, a lot goes on during it. According to Cornell, “rehearsing is the process of determining the action of each specific moment of the play.” It is watching the actors/actresses and giving them notes and confidence. It is also getting the props for the play ready and seeing what works with what.

After all of the rehearsing and the play is ready to be shown, the director’s job is to get it out there and get people to come and see the play. It is their job to make sure everything is going as planned and be there for their actors/actresses and their other crew members.

As a play-writer and director you are a part of the entertainment business which can be a competitive and stressful business to be in. When critics and your audience see your play, they are waiting for it to amaze them. The audience watches the actors/actresses and they will either impress them or disappoint them. As a director, it all falls back on the director’s ability to write a good play and cast a good cast. It is up to the director to make sure everything runs smoothly. Theatre can be an amazing experience for both the people behind it and the audience who watch it. It can also be more stressful then one would think.

Hannah’s E3 play was a heartbreaking play about two students getting through high schools who are victims of sexual assault, and a teacher who is experiencing suicidal thoughts and later commits suicide. With such a serious topic, Hannah warned her viewers of the trigger warnings and advised them they could leave at any time if the play upsets them.

“Take care of yourself” Hannah added.

In Hannah’s play she added a projection screen that showed the happy side of her casts lives which was a different side then the audience was seeing. Rachel Feinstein was the projection designer; she took the photos and created the projection that added to Hannah Thompson’s play and together they made E3 unique.

This was Rachel’s first look into the theatre world because she has never been a part of a play before. Rachel has been friends with Hannah Thompson throughout college and decided to work with Hannah to do what she can to help create E3.

“I got to use photography in a new way I haven’t done before” and “I got to be a part of something so big that I never thought I would be interested in” said Rachel.

Hannah chose this story after hearing a true story about the main character’s suicide and so she mixed the real-life story with fiction to create a heartbreaking but relatable story.

“What inspired me to write it was hearing how many issues happened in real life”, said Thompson, “and how I can use a fake story as a platform to shed light on realistic issues.”

Hannah Thompson is a theatre studies major with a concentration in production and a minor in writing. What’s next for Thompson is the plan to write more plays and direct more.

“Whether I write or not, I definitely will be directing in the future, hopefully the near future going into my senior year there are some pieces from some other incredible playwrights that I would love to direct my own interpretation” said Thompson.

Hannah Thompson makes notes as the cast of E3 rehearse their lines on April 10, 2018 in the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University.

Hannah Thompson gives the cast of E3, Gabrielle Irwin, Skyler Dye, Taylor Sustersic and Paul Appleby, feedback on their performances on April 10, 2018 at Kent State University.

Hannah Thompson, director of E3, and the cast talk about their performance during rehearsal on April 10, 2018 at Kent State University. “When you feel like you are doing too much, you aren’t doing enough” said Thompson.

Cast members of E3, Gabrielle Irwin (left) and Taylor Sustersic (right) rehearse their scenes for the play E3 on April 10, 2018 at Kent State University.

Hannah Thompson poses in front of the Black Box Theatre in the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University, as she waits for her showing of her play E3. “My favorite part about the whole process was just being able to see something that was in my mind come to life” said Thompson.