Who are you? What year are you? What are your interests?
My name is Olivia Johnson and I am a junior. Apart from being in theatre, I love singing, reading, long walks in nature, and drawing.
Why did you want to be in the One Act Competition Class? Is it what you thought it would
be? How many times have you taken One Act?
When I first heard about people in one act, they would always talk about how amazing the experience is and the closeness of the cast by the end. That was one of the leading reasons I took that class. I knew many of the other members that were auditioning and having never taken an acting class before, the chance to work on my stills with such a talented group of crew and cast was something that deeply intrigued me.
What do you do in the One Act class?
In the One-Act show Everyman, I play three roles. My first is a self-centered, money-loving wealth minion who, in the face of death, Everyman has to learn will not come with them. The second is Superego, which is the moral compass, one of Everyman’s many characteristics. However, Everyman never seemed to listen to her, as they landed themselves in a life they were not proud of in the beginning. The last is probably the most hectic, being the ensemble for journey scenes, from moving PVC pipes to confuse and turn around Everman on the self-reflection journey, to being anchors for acrobatics, or a dark forest of trees, it’s always so fun to help become the set and embody the setting.
What is the play about? How have you helped create it?
The show is based on the universal internal battle and reflection on humanity’s decisions, seen through the character of Everyman. The sequence of events grapples with what one leaves behind after death and how it’s important to live to the fullest, with the reminder to meet everyone with kindness and compassion.
Do you have any stories from class that you wish to share?
I remember the first day we did a choreographed dance that was to the track train wreck. As none of us were expecting to come in that day and do straight dance we were all not prepared for the pain and sweat. So mid class Heidi, Figg, and I all ran up to the dressing room and grabbed random costume pieces to put on since we had all either ripped our clothes or were profusely overheating. And the end of the rehearsal, everyone looked all flushed in mix-matched clothing, but despite all this everyone had this goofy grin on their faces, all proud of how we had learned an entire dance and it looked pretty good. The entire time cheering each other on and finding ways to modify the moves to be easier, we all felt so connected and a part of something.
What’s different this year about the One Act class?
This is my first year in One Act, but I know based on others’ stories, it’s been a bit more stressful in comparison to previous years. From not having a show picked the first week, to rewriting the script, and blocking scenes without knowing who we were, on top of learning to do various dances and choreography. However, because of this, I can say that I am incredibly proud of everyone who put their all into the success and fun of this show. The time and commitment put in is so inspiring and make the performances that much more fantastic.
Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I went swimming in a Costa Rican river where there were alligators.
Act Out 