Penn State Altoona presents the fourth annual student-directed One Acts, SHORTS 4

Friday, January 6, 2012 - hits

ALTOONA — Shorts 4, Penn State Altoona's student-written and directed theatre one-acts, will run February 2 - 4, 2012, in the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 general admission.

Shorts 4 features six new plays by Allyssa Baker (Just Fine), Natalie Entenberg (If I Should Die Before I Wake and Limbo), Andy McIntyre (Bike Parts, Rides, and Strange Ways to Get What You Want and The Shitter), and Megan Riner (Dollars and Sense). They are directed by Natalie Entenberg, Allyssa Baker, Stacie Marie, Jordan Shumaker, Molly Burke, and Harvey Kauwan. The evening's collection features twenty-four student and graduate actors and offers complex looks on love, relationships, and society. This production contains adult themes and language.

The student writers and directors are joined by Alicia Oswald, who as production stage manager, leads Acacia Kelley Amanda Sabet, and Anthony Sosa as stage managers. Dan Fellows, Stacie Marie, Cameron O'Connell, Josh Silvershein, and Sean Tierney comprise the light and sound team. Carlos Ruiz, instructor in theatre arts, will design the sets.

"We're so proud to offer our students this challenging opportunity. They write the material, direct it, design it, stage it, and act it. What a way to learn their craft, which they can take with them out into the real world," says Robin Reese, associate professor of theatre arts. "Many of our students go on to careers in the theatre so this kind of responsibility and artistic experience is invaluable to their budding careers. For those students who enjoy theatre as an avocation, it teaches them team work, dedication, creativity and follow-through; and it's fun!"

Penn State Altoona is a member of The Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival. This production is entered as an Associate Production, which means the student actors and designers will be eligible for awards and nominations in several arts categories. All of the previous Shorts productions have received high honors through KC/ACTF.

Further information is available at the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts Box Office, Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and before and during all performances. The Wolf Kuhn Theatre is accessible and open to the public. Call the box office at 814-949-5452 for more information.