Concordia Nebraska's theatre department to present 2025 One Act Play Festival

by Hope Nelson

Seward, NE (04/03/2025) — Students in Concordia Nebraska's theatre department will perform four student-directed plays on April 10-12 at 7 p.m. each night in the Borland Black Box Theatre for the university's annual One Act Play Festival. The festival takes place annually in April and is open to the public.

The festival serves as the practical component of Concordia's play production class. Students take part in all aspects of the process, from brainstorming to performance, including set design, acting choices and stage direction. This allows them to think and work with their peers to produce a polished final product.

This year's plays include Samara Siskind's comedy "Blind Date," directed by sophomore April Abbett, Peter Tarsi's drama "Tracks," directed by senior Emilee Price, Mark Dietrich Wyss's comedy "A Disappearing," directed by junior Ava King and an original drama written and directed by sophomore Andrew Ring, "A Fading Street Lamp."

Note: Some of the plays include mature content that may not be suitable for all audiences.

This year's plays include:

"Blind Date" by Samara Siskind

Director: April Abbett, sophomore, Platte City, Mo.

Marcia: Mi-Ree Zwick, sophomore, Minden, Neb.

Ted: Morgan Davis, freshman, Andover, Kan.

"Tracks" by Peter Tarsi

Director: Emilee Price, senior, Columbus, Neb.

Homeless Girl: Catherine Vyhlidal, sophomore, Morse Bluff, Neb.

Old Man: Chipper Banks, freshman, Loveland, Colo.

Lawyer: Brianna Pike, sophomore, Vassar, Mich.

Professor: Ethan Reynolds, Boelus, Neb.

Nun: Kristen Welling, junior, Atkinson, Neb.

Businesswoman: Mi-Ree Zwick

Businessman: Samuel Olson, freshman, Overland Park, Kan.

High School Girl: Claire Horacek, sophomore, Papillion, Neb.

High School Boy: Jacob Huber, P.B., Canton, S.D.

Waitress: Teya Badger, sophomore, Brandon, S.D.

"A Disappearing" by Mark Dietrich Wyss

Director: Ava King, junior, Seward, Neb.

Claire: Sara Erickson, junior, Omaha, Neb.

Allen: Jonathan Baumann, sophomore, Chester, S.D.

Magician: Timothy Dose, sophomore, Arcadia, Iowa

"A Fading Street Lamp"

Written and directed by: Andrew Ring, sophomore, Bismarck, N.D.

Mary: Madee Hudson-Knowlton, junior, Kenai, Alaska

Gabe: Caleb Jalas, senior, Deshler, Neb.

Mrs. Locks (Mom): Claire Horacek

Mr. Locks (Dad): Noah Niederklein, freshman, Pittsburg, Kan.

Thomas: Isaac Dawson, sophomore, Cedar Falls, Iowa

Jessica: Araceli Regalado, sophomore, Des Moines, Iowa

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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