In a room full of scripts, sticky notes and late-night brainstorming, stories come alive in Lamar’s theater. From the timeless charm of “Little Women” to the sharp, emotional edges of “Half Bloomed,” students are not just performing — they’re writing, directing and discovering the power of their own voices.
Lamar University’s department of theatre & dance will present the “Student Works Series,” April 9-12, in the Studio Theatre.
Roxanne Hamm will direct scenes from “Little Women.” She said directing is about more than putting a classic story on stage — it’s about capturing the depth of its characters.
“A lot of the time, Amy is often just a brat and doesn’t have anything more to her,” Hamm said. “And Laurie is just this sad guy, and it’s like they wanted to make the best versions of the characters from the book as possible.
“We started with a week of table work and dissecting the script and understanding motivations and goals for characters and what’s in their way from getting that.”
As blocking began, her focus shifted to relationships and emotional nuance, Hamm said.
“I want the actors to feel like they have the freedom to make this character their own and bring it to life the best way they can do it,” she said.
Audiences can expect to see some of the novel’s most memorable moments come to life on stage, including Christmas Day, Beth’s illness, and the Laurie confession scene.
“I’m excited for them to see the relationship that we build with the March sisters in Act 1 and how that relationship impacts everybody when Beth gets sick,” Hamm said.
Hamm said directing her peers can be challenging but is ultimately rewarding.
“There can be difficulties in balancing the friendship and the director side of the process, and making it clear that while we’re in rehearsals, I am your director,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gracie Parsley will steer audiences through the emotionally charged world of “Half Bloomed”, a contemporary story about siblings navigating a toxic household.
“There’s a lot of lying, manipulation, different forms of abuse in the house and navigating how they leave without feeling guilty about leaving either each other or their younger sibling or their parents,” Parsley said.
Parsley distilled the heart of the play into three words: “Companionship, hope and resilience.”
Parsley’s directing approach is collaborative, giving cast and crew space to shape the story.
“I’ve been kind of keeping it like an open room discussion during all of our rehearsals,” she said.
The process allows actors to explore their characters fully, Parsley said, and allows the actor to develop the role.
“(It’s) giving them, not permission, but allowing them to follow, (to) guide them on their journey of where they want to take the character and where they want to take the show,” she said. “Being able to have that input and direction is really awesome.”
For both directors, the Student Works Series is an exercise in leadership and creativity. Hamm said the directors have been given independence which has been invigorating.
“There’s no faculty telling us what to do,” she said. “It’s all us, and I hope that (audiences) find a new appreciation for these characters.”
Parsley said the experience has taught her to trust herself and the collaborative process.
“I hope audiences take away that you’re never stuck,” she said. “Life is always moving, and it’s up to you to decide where you go and who you go with.”
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., April 9, 10, 11, and 2 p.m. April 12.
For more tickets, visit lutd.ludus.com.
