Here is the mission: create a play from scratch and perform it before an audience, incorporating the following three items, a hula hoop as a prop, Larry boi as a character, and “Just do it” as a line. The performance will start in 24 hours, good luck!
Founded in 2008, Insomniac 24-hour Theatre Festival is held by Duzer Du Chapter of Alpha Psi Omega at DePauw University every semester. This semester, the performance took place on Saturday in Kerr Theatre in Green Center for Performing Arts (GCPA).
At 7:30pm on Friday October 5, participants got together in an acting studio in the GCPA to divide themselves into three roles: writer, director, and actor. “I’m just so excited to do something totally weird and great,” senior Jacqueline Pelletier said during the planning process. “That’s the level of ridiculous,” Pelletier laughed, describing their ideas for the play.
After the meeting, every participant was dismissed to work on their own parts. “I thought it’s going to be like we are all in one room working on all the stuff, but oh no,” first-year Sage Sherfick voiced both her puzzlement and excitement for the new experiences ahead. Although she first said, “I have an idea, but I don’t know how to start,” Sherfick ended up finishing her script after working on it for hours in the library and her room after it closed.
First-year Meredith White wrote a play titled “Ransom.” “My writing process was just get super tired, just throw random crap on document, and I wrote a play somehow, and I think it turned out pretty well,” White said.
After the practice and tech rehearsal, the performance started at 7:30 p.m. with almost all the seats taken. Eight performances were played in total and the laughter sounded through the theatre every time weird things happened in the plays.
Some accidents happened, such as an actor dislocating her shoulder during a play because she acted very dramatically. “You never really know what’s going to happen during Insomniac, but that’s what makes it so fun!,” said junior Sophia Hoffman, the vice president of Alpha Psi Omega.
Hoffman also said, “One thing I always love about Insomniac is how we can put together a show in 24 hours and encourage each other!”
As soon as the last play ended, a great cheer and applauses went up from the audience. A big smile could be seen on Sherfick’s face. “I can’t believe that I did this, but I did! I made a good play, and people liked it, which is crazy to me! I’m really glad I did this!”