One thing North Atlanta is never lacking is an outlet for students to let their creativity shine. The annual One-Act play is one of many opportunities for our finest actors to display their talents as they dance across the stage in this short – but sweet – performance.
This year’s show, “One Lane Bridge,” follows two characters as they embark on a drive through the neighborhoods of Colorado. In the driver’s seat is a boy with a loose grip on reality, and in the passenger seat is a friend of a friend to whom he’s offered a ride. As the night progresses, the two go back and forth, telling each other scary stories while several cast members outside the car narrate the scene as they travel down the one-lane bridge. “It’s a real nail-biter,” said IB Theater teacher Nathan Snyder. “As we learn more about the boy, the play slowly becomes kind of a ghost story.”
Much like the ensemble coming together onstage, the production also requires cooperation behind the scenes. The theater, art, and tech departments have been rehearsing, studying, and performing their given tasks as they prepare for the dark horror play and its numerous twists. Drama teachers Nathan Snyder and Liane LeMaster are spending their class time working with students on “One Lane Bridge” both in the classroom and onstage. Contributions to the show make their way into the daily routines of not just the theater students but also the AP and IB Art students and those enrolled in Audio Visual – who have been tasked with establishing the show’s eerie mood. Even though the play mainly happens on one set, the atmosphere around it is very important. “Mostly, we are planning to use a lot of physical imagery because the dialogue really happens in the car,” said Snyder.
Memorizing lines and getting into character requires focus and hard work, leading aspiring actors like junior Gabby Monspaisir to concentrate on analyzing and perfecting their roles. North Atlanta’s thespians are excited to take on this new challenge of bringing horror to life on stage. Emerging into the horror aspect of this play will push them to put their best foot forward both on and off the stage. “You bring all your energy into the show and carry it with you until the curtain closes,” said Monplaisir.
The curtain opens on October 5, giving actors about a month in all to pull the show together. Students memorize their lines, artwork is finalized and put up on stage, and the atmosphere grows spookier. The stage is set. North Atlanta’s creatives have developed their craft and made their mark on the North Atlanta stage. Everything is ready. Now it’s just lights, camera, action.
