Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           University Relations Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 4/22/98
      Contact:                           Carol Dotson   126
STUDENT DIRECTORS TACKLE TWO ONE-ACT COMEDIES AT SLU 
     HAMMOND, LA -- Actors seldom have a lot of sympathy for directors. After all, these
are the guys bossing them around and telling them what to do or not do on stage.  Two
Southeastern Louisiana University students however, have a different view of directors now that
they've had a chance to be in that role.
     Jason Buuck, a senior theatre major from Slidell and Greg Carpenter, a first year graduate
student in History, originally of Oklahoma and now a Hammond resident, are the directors for
two one-act plays being presented at Southeastern. Buuck will direct No Smoking by David W.
Eddy and Carpenter will direct The Actor's Nightmare by Christopher Durang. The plays will
open April 28 and run through May 3 at 7:30 pm nightly in the Vonnie Borden Theatre.
     "I finally feel what other directors have felt," joked Buuck, a veteran performer with
Southeastern theatre. "It's been kind of hectic," observed Carpenter, "But I've calmed down now.
I have an excellent cast and I understand what a hard job the director has."
     Both directors have chosen good casts that include actors they have worked with, have
seen in other productions or newcomers that impressed them at the audition.  
     "Actor's Nightmare is several plays within a play. I've had this nightmare several times
myself," said Carpenter, who has been in several Southeastern productions. "You end up on stage
and have no idea why or what your lines are." It's very visual, very funny. It's been a challenge
with the choreography of it, making all the different pieces come together, but we've done a good
job."
     Buuck  is also content with his show, No Smoking.  "When I read it I laughed out loud, I
knew I wanted to do this play," he said. "The first few rehearsals were rough," he admitted.
"Getting the blocking down, getting the cast comfortable using the guns, but the cast was great to 


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SLU Comedies/ADD ONE


work with, they pulled it together. Directors are always paranoid. On the surface it seemed like I
was feeling a little nervous, but deep down I had faith in them."
     And what about when it's all over? Both directors say they will direct again. " I think I
like acting a little more than directing," admitted Buuck. "When you're directing, once the show
opens it's out of your hands." Well, maybe not totally. Buuck and Carpenter will be in the
audience every night supporting their casts and just to make sure things go smoothly. 
      Tickets for No Smoking and The Actor's Nightmare are $5 general admission, $3 students
and senior citizens and free for SLU students. The Southeastern box office is open 11am -3pm
daily. Tickets will also be available before each performance. For more information call the SLU
Theatre box office at 549-2115. 


                                  -SLU-
                                    
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