Five De Soto High School Thespians have been chosen to direct several one-act plays that will be performed on Sept. 25.

Each have the chance to direct a 15-minute one act play from Durang Durang, a collection of parodies written by Christopher Durang.

Each student was able to choose which play they wished to direct out of the collection – junior Kassidy Forshey chose to direct Nina in the Morning, senior Courtney Goodin chose Mrs. Soken as well as Business Lunch at the Russian Tea Room, junior Erin Kaul chose For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls and seniors Dylan Foster and Lindsay Everson chose to direct Wanda’s Visit.

The plays will serve as fundraisers for the statewide Thespian conference in January, which costs about $150 per person. The two-day conference will provide Thespians with valuable opportunities to meet and talk with theater professionals and improve on skills such as dance, puppetry, acting and sword fighting.

Each of the students took on all of the responsibilities that came with being a director including casting, blocking and, of course, directing.

“It’s been really fun,” Forshey said. Her play is about a woman who “seduces every man she sees” and then reflects back on her life, which is “a huge mess.”

The performers of the various casts underwent an audition process that consisted of improvising games and cold readings.

Most of the students performing in these plays are not in Rumors, the fall play written by Neal Simon and directed by Drama teacher Erin Purifoy. This allows for more students to get involved with DHS theater.

“It’ll be really cool for the freshmen and sophomores to get leads,” Forshey said.

Purifoy agreed with Forshey.

All of the students involved with the production will be working hard to put on a good show and are looking forward to the new experience in directing.

“I’ve never been on that side of the stage [backstage],” Forshey said. “It’s going to be a different experience all around… I’m so excited.”