Fresh faces both onstage and offstage are part of an inaugural fest in Lockport.
Limestone Stage presents six original works in Local Playwright One-Act Festival from April 7-10 at the Lockport Township Building.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. April 7-9; 2 p.m. April 10.
“Many of these shows are directed by people who have never directed for us before,” said Limestone Stage executive director Luke Janchenko.
“It really has become an interesting next step of our evolution. We’re bringing on people who will lead this company and be artistic influences going forward.”
The one-acts include “D&D For Beginners” by Janchenko of New Lenox and directed by Julie Metzler of Orland Park.
“It’s about gaming culture. There’s this whole subculture of teenagers all the way through ages 29 and 30, my wife being one of them. They’ll get together and have Dungeons & Dragons nights,” said Janchenko, who is married to Alissa Raschke-Janchenko.
“All of these people have such vivid imaginations. When I wrote this, I wanted to show the audience what that imagination looked like so in the show you have the actors that are actually sitting at the table playing the game but behind them you have action as it’s happening being portrayed by avatars.
“It’s a comedy all through the minds of young teenagers. It’s intriguing when you have a bunch of young teenagers who really don’t understand about the real world or how these things work and they’re trying to craft this world behind them. It creates a lot of conflict. There’s a lot of laughs and it’s a fun show.”
The fest also includes “For Better or Worse” by Christopher Gryniewicz of Plainfield and directed by Erik Lindblom of Lockport; “The Reminder,” written and directed by Alex Carberry of Lockport; and “The Bridge” by Adam Woodworth of Lockport and directed by Linda Savickas of Lockport.
“‘The Reminder’ really comes from personal experience of what it is to be a teenager in 2022 and how things like the internet and social anxiety all play into depression and how difficult it can be to be 15, 16, 17 years old these days,” Janchenko said.
“When I Get Home” by Judy Hogfeldt of Homer Glen and directed by Julie Zebleckis of Bolingbrook and “In a Fortnite,” which is written and directed by Woodworth, are also part of Local Playwright One-Act Festival.
“Judy’s show is probably the best one-act I’ve ever read. If this were being performed at a different theater I would say the exact same. This is Goodman Theatre-level quality so I am so excited that we get to put it on,” Janchenko said.
Local Playwright One-Act Festival has been in the works for more than two years.
“We cast the show March 4, 2020. Then we had our table read March 13th, 2020, and the world shut down on March 14, 2020,” said Janchenko.
“This isn’t a project that we were going to let go by the wayside. It was something people put a lot of effort into. We had to reimagine how we were going to do this.”
More than 20 actors including residents of Homer Glen, Joliet, Lockport, New Lenox, Orland Park and Plainfield are part of the cast for Local Playwright One-Act Festival.
“I’m so excited for the energy. It has created a really interesting breed of new people that are associated with this,” Janchenko said.
“My show is slapstick and off-the-wall. Judy’s show is this remarkably soft and elegant story that is just heartbreaking. You have a noir-type murder mystery. You have a relationship drama about a divorced couple. You have a back-and-forth-style mistaken identity comedy. You have an educational-type show.
“There are so many different feels to this production that it truly will be a festival. People will come out with so many different emotions flowing. We’re trying to set it up so people have time to digest what they’re seeing and come back and see another show and really have a good experience.”
Due to adult language and themes in many of the one-acts, Local Playwright One-Act Festival is recommended for ages 14 and older.
The production coincides with Limestone Stage workshops such as the free tech workshop covering design basics and planning from 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 1, construction for stage and hands-on building from noon-4 p.m. April 2 and lighting shows from noon-4 p.m. April 3.
Local Playwright One-Act Festival
When: April 7-10
Where: Lockport Township Building, 1463 S. Farrell Road, Lockport
Tickets: $10
Information: 815-905-2789; limestonestage.org
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
