Jesuit’s annual Playwriting Festival, also known as “Playfest” to the community, started yesterday May 25th.

Playfest is a combination of student writers, directors, and actors coming together to create short plays that bring the creativity and passion for theater in the Jesuit community to the forefront. 

The festival is an opportunity for writers to create stories they have always wanted to give to the world, for directors to bring the stories together, and for actors to bring the story to life. 

The plays for the festival this year range from a comedy set in a kindergarten classroom to the story of a family’s support for their cancer stricken family member. 

Comedy writer, senior Clare Mahoney, gives her thoughts on the Playwriting Festival’s opening night and her play where a kindergarten teacher faints and chaos ensues in the classroom. 

“It went so well! The cast really flourished with a full crowd,” Mahoney said. “I am so beyond proud of all of them.” 

A play, “Wake Up”, written by senior Elliot Hunt and directed by senior Alex Payne illustrates a story of a boy who suffers from insomnia who decided to take too much sleep medication and has many wild and vivid dreams.

“My absolute favorite thing about directing was to see my vision come to life,” Payne said. 

The play that is set in the past “Call of the Idol”, written by junior Rhys Grawrock, is another comedy that pokes fun at Medieval Times, while bringing creative aspects of fantasy to the stage. 

The last play of the festival, “1000”, written by junior Kekoa Dowsett, depicts the life of a girl who has been diagnosed with cancer and her family’s struggle with the hardship and the way they support her through a time of immense difficulty. 

“This was my first Jesuit theater experience and I was definitely nervous to act,” senior Caitlin Thomas said. “We talked about the story a lot and broke down its components while recognizing the story for its beauty, making it easier to step into a somber role.” 

The Playwriting Festival has two more shows: Friday May 26th and Saturday May 27th. 

Come support these one-of-a-kind creations. 

Tickets: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=4&p=1