The annual Donna Mavros Student Directed One Act Play Festival will take place this weekend, including two plays, one called After Math directed by Taylor Schmitt ‘19 and the other is Hectate Hill directed by Ellie Burke ‘19.

“[Directing] has been a really interesting experience,” Schmitt said. “I think it has been really fun to get to put together all the puzzle pieces.”

The festival was created in memory of a teacher who made great contributions to theatre as she was involved for 30 years while she taught at LT, theater sponsor Michael Kuehl said. Mavros Festival became a festival of student produced plays.

The festival will take place in the SC Performing Arts Center on March 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. both nights.

The plays tend to attract smaller audiences, Kuehl said. About 50 to 150 people are anticipated to attend. Less people are attracted from the community because the shows lack the same title recognition as other shows.

“I’m very excited about this year’s performances,” Kuehl said. “Ellie Burke and Taylor Schmitt are two of my favorite students, so I’m eagerly anticipating what they put on stage.”

The directors of the two plays are senior, thesbian students, Schmitt said. To be thesbian, the theatre program requires students to earn 20 thesbian points: one point is equal to 10 hours of theatre.

Auditions were held in late January to determine the casts. The plays are completely student run and LT provides sets and props.

“As a director, we had our first struggles like focusing, but eventually we really pulled it together and I think audiences will love the show,” Burke said.

The directors were able to choose the plays they wanted to direct, Schmitt said. The power is all in the hands of the students for the festival.

Unlike most shows, Mavros Festival is only two days, Schmitt said. This year the date was also moved from January to March because two directors left the program this year. One of the spring shows was replaced by Mavros.

“After Math” is about a boy who is taken away by a man and woman in suits during the middle of class. His classmates come up with reasoning for his disappearance to find he planned it himself after being a victim of bullying. “Hectate Hill” is about a group of friends who met up for a reunion in Bigfoot territory in the woods. Creatures begin to attack and the group attempts to survive the night.

“My favorite part is directing the actors,” Schmitt said. “It gives you more appreciation with your own acting when you can help others improve.”