Theatre returns with homecoming revival of orientation play

Photo by Elizabeth Wagner

Veronica Novotny
Editor-in-Chief

For the first time in Franciscan University of Steubenville history, this year’s orientation play is being brought back for a reprise, said a co-director of the one-act.

Senior Thomas Bodoh, who co-directed the play “Mr. Efficiency” with senior Brigita Ruta, worked on the one-act for over six months in preparation for its first three performances Aug. 21-22. Now “Mr. Efficiency” reprises Oct. 1-3 for homecoming weekend at the invitation of Juliana Daugherty, assistant vice president of Student Life services and events.

Every fall, the students of Anathan Theatre — which includes theatre majors, minors, enthusiasts and anything in between — put on the one-act orientation play (nicknamed the “O-play”) to welcome new students to life at Franciscan.

After just one week of rehearsals in August before the first performances, the cast has had three pick-up rehearsals in September to prepare for homecoming, with only one of them on a full-set stage.

Bodoh had much praise for his cast of 12.

“They’re doing great, they’re putting in so much hard work,” Bodoh said. “We’ve re-blocked the play. We’ve re-cast a character.”

For the revival, junior Rick Terry has taken senior Patrick Frazier’s role as Mr. Carruthers.

Bodoh said, “Even if we have one person come for a performance, we’ll still do our best on that performance for them.”

However, the theater was packed for all three of the August performances.

After seeing an August performance, senior Daisy deLachica said, “I think (this) was a really fun way to get an idea of what (Anathan Theatre does) within a really short time span. They did a really good job building up a sense of tension in a short amount of time and making the conclusion very satisfying. And also it was really funny!”

There are four performances of “Mr. Efficiency” scheduled over homecoming weekend in the Gentile Gallery of the J.C. Williams Center: Friday at 11 p.m., conveniently scheduled after the 7:30 p.m. talent show in Finnegan Fieldhouse; Saturday at 6 p.m. and midnight; and Sunday at 4 p.m.