The junior high One Acts shows came to fruition on Oct. 16-18 after countless months of work from student directors including Caroline Lovelace, ‘26, McKenzie Bell, ‘26, Ash Kertpet, ‘27, Aubrey Lowe, ‘28, and Easton Taylor, ‘28. 

Over the course of one weekend, “Why We Like Love Stories,” by Stephen Gregg, “Bebe Le Strange,” by Kertpet and Taylor and “Murder in Little Grimley,” by David Tristham, filled the hearts and minds of many WHHS students.

The One Acts shows directed by upperclassman and performed by a fully junior high cast, many of whom are new to theater. 

“I see a lot of the seventh and eighth graders that I work with look up to me, and I just find that really nice because I didn’t have anybody to look up to when I was that old in theater,” Kertpet said.

Being a student director and writing plays is a rare opportunity, and isn’t offered at most schools’ theater programs. Taking on this role can be a big responsibility with many ups and downs, and forces students to adapt.

“I’ve learned to be patient with almost everything that I’ve worked with [as a result of] being on both sides, being both the director and actor,” Kertpet said. “I gained sympathy for both sides because there’s equal difficulty.”

Strict deadlines can lead to stress throughout the cast, so motivation from friends, family members and classmates can be very important.

“My cast members supported me,” Kertpet said. “They’re very supportive and kind, and Easton supported me a lot. Without Easton [Taylor], I would not have been able to do this alone.”

Over many months, Kertpet and Taylor wrote the comedy “Bebe Le Strange” about a gullible young boy who falls for tricks and later discovers his own magical powers. However, Taylor had previous experience in storytelling.

“I’ve been writing since I was three years old,” Taylor said. “My dad’s also a writer, so he’s very excited that I’ve carried after him, and he definitely loves the creativity a lot.”

Beginning in seventh grade as a crew member, Taylor’s history at WHHS has been greatly defined by theater.

“For the longest time, none of my friends were in theater, but I did it anyway, because although I was alone, it was something I was passionate about,” Taylor said. “As the years passed, I started growing within the theater department and gaining more responsibility and power, [which led me to become] friends with more people.”

Being involved in theater can be an extreme time commitment, and often becomes intertwined with the social lives of members.

“[Theater] gave me a community,” Lowe said. “I came to Walnut mainly for the theater; I saw “Chicago” and said, ‘That’s where I want to go.’” 

As a first time director, Lowe worked alongside Lovelace, learning leadership skills and more about the rest of the program which she hadn’t yet explored.

“[One of my strengths was] taking responsibility,” Lowe said. “I am not typically a very forward or authoritarian person, but I do think that it was very easy for me to come into the role, and say ‘We’re gonna do this, or we’re gonna do that.”

To prepare for the show, actors and directors stay for hours after school each day.

“It’s a grind, but it’s a good grind because I still get to do what makes me happy,” Lowe said.

As actors face the audience and see each reaction, they feel rewarded after months of hard work.

“Connecting with an audience is one of the most magical things ever,”  Lovelace said. “It’s really remarkable to me that we are able to put on some costumes and play pretend, and suddenly make this connection with a bunch of people that [we]’ve never met before.” 

One of the leading frameworks for theater is community. Each person in theater is drastically different, but they each share one passion. 

“I think almost every single person who comes out of [this program] has had their life changed by it, and I think that really says something,”  Lovelace said. “It’s something super special.”