Every year, LT Theatre hosts a series of plays directed by students. The event is named after Donna Mavros, a former LT theater director. Staff members don’t direct these plays, but instead, the plays are chosen, directed, and assembled by student directors.

Four individual students, Cassidy Monti ‘23, Anne Dillon ‘23, Mia Hoskins ‘23, and Abdiel Gallardo ‘23, were chosen as this year’s directors. Monti decided on the play “Tracks,” which tells the story of a group of strangers who end up trapped in a subway and have to figure out how they got there, and where the train is going.

“I wanted to do a play that was really interesting, not just a stereotypical play for high schools,” Monti said. “[‘Tracks’] popped out because it seemed deeper and it had more potential to look really professional.”

Another one of the directors, Dillion, chose the play “A Ghost For Rosanda.” In the story, Rosanda is an older woman telling a story to her nieces about how she fell in love with an adventurer named Chadwick. However, Chadwick was also flirting with the maid Yvette, which may have caused his disappearance. There is a slight possibility that Chadwick is not far away, and the girls get more horror than they bargained for.

“I wanted a show that would have awesome special effects,” Dillon said. “As a tech kid, I couldn’t be happier with my choice. Plus, who doesn’t love a spooky, murder-mystery show.”

One common theme with the student directors is the amount of effort they have to put in for each show. The directors have to get the costumes, work out sound, get props, work with the stage crew, and most importantly, direct the actors. 

“It’s good stress,” Hoskins said. “It’s a lot more than I thought I would have to do as a director. I feel like I took on a lot, but I really like that it is all up to me.”

All of the plays are unique, so everything is different. All of the directors manage different actors, they have to do all of their own setup. The biggest cast is “Tracks” with 10 actors. 

“I have the biggest show with 10 people in my cast,” Monti said. “We are busy students. Even though there have been times when we couldn’t figure out when to rehearse, it all worked out and came together.”

All four plays have taken numerous rehearsals in order for the actors and director to learn. These rehearsals have taken place from the PAC to individual houses. 

“Rehearsals at people’s houses [have been] some of my favorite times in theatre,” Dillon said. “There’s something about being in someone’s space that makes it so casual”

The Donna Mavros plays were held on March 10-11 at the PAC.