A+ to CSULB Theatrefest

The 10th Annual CSULB Theatrefest proved to be quite an experience. I listened to about 20 comedic monologues over the course of 3 hours. Thank goodness the students brought some energy and light into the dimly lit, dreary classroom setting. There were probably as many successes as there were failures yesterday. However, the valuable learning experience provided to these high school students is immeasurable. There is nothing more relevant to an actor then to see their peers perform, and to get feedback early on in their craft. My only experience of this type in high school was competing at the Chapman Shakespeare Festival, which inspired me to attend the university for my undergraduate work. My favorite performance of the day was a young man who performed Cyrano De Bergerac (and no I didn't favor him just because I love the play). It was amazing to me that he would take on such a challenging piece of theatre and hit the nail on the head, especially at the tender age of sixteen. Most importantly I admire the bravery of the students I saw this weekend. It is one thing to perform safely in your classroom, and another to perform in front of strangers in unfamiliar territory. I think there is great hope in the upcoming generation of actors.