The Oak Lawn theater program continues its streak of supremacy this season at the State level of competitions. Spring shows consist of three one act performances that were performed at 7p.m. on April 7th-9th . The three types of shows are Contest Play, Group Interpretation and Children’s Play. The Contest Play has a beautiful set along with great props and sound, while Group Interpretation (also called GI) is limited to only a cappella music and the imagination and creativity of the actors. The Children’s play is unique in having costumes that the actors make themselves at home. Contest Play this year is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and this play gained the honor of third place at state this year. Group Interpretation has adapted the Sci-fi novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. The adaptation of this book has earned the theater program another state championship. The Children’s play adapted Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

I went to see these one act performances Friday night. The show had built such a stellar reputation that I had a hard time finding tickets to buy. The entire GI cast had sold out on the first day! Needless to say, after the show at the assembly and buzz throughout the school week, I was beyond excited. When I arrived at the school around 6:20 there was already a line through the hallway and around the corner. The night started at 7 o’clock with Charlie and the Chocolate factory. I was very impressed with the set and lighting. Every actor had something distinguishable about their character that made me relate to their situation. Witty dialogue had me laughing all the way through and feeling touched at the sentimental ending.

The GI performance felt even more incredible than the first time I saw it at the assembly. The overall mood of the performance was light-hearted and exciting. These attributes of the show made the play so much more interesting to watch. Even more incredible is the synchronization of all the actors’ lines and actions. Just watching the show made me realize how much work these dedicated actors go through to make the show the very best. The final moments when Wade and Samantha meet in real life gives the audience an important reminder that while electronics can be fun, nothing beats real world experiences.

Finally, after a short intermission OLTP was back for one more performance. The final performance was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest which one third place at state. The entire theatre was in anticipation. The show started dramatically with the beat of a drum and a soliloquy from Chief. Chief informs the audience that Nurse Ratched is in control of the ward, but patient McMurphy is ready to challenge her. Tension built during the final moments as the audience contemplated who would win the challenge for authority. Although things end more tragically for certain characters, there is an optimistic end for others. The entire night was worth being seen! Every show was a glorious representation of the literature it was adapted from. My favorite part of the night was to see the upcoming actors in the program and get a glimpse of the future of the Oak Lawn Theater Program.