Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Festival 24, the semiannual student-run theatre festival from the Cornell University Department of Performing and Media Arts, is launching online under a new title, Festival 24.0. The Festival, which is normally held at the beginning of each semester, will happen on Saturday, May 9, at 8:00 p.m. ET via Zoom to provide a performance opportunity for students while in-person theatre events are suspended.

Festival 24.0 takes place over the course of twenty-four hours from the initial company meeting to the performance on Saturday, May 9. For twelve hours overnight, playwrights will compose three short plays to be rehearsed and performed the following day. From Saturday morning until the performance that evening, directors are in charge of leading rehearsals with actors to get these new plays performance-ready.

"The virtual setting of Festival 24.0 presents the actors and directors with an exciting challenge," says Bryan Hagelin '20, a director in the festival. "I've learned a lot in my four years in the fest as an actor and as a director. I'm looking forward to putting those skills to the test and learning a lot more this time around. As a senior, I am grateful to the producers for giving my senior classmates and me this final opportunity."

The festival's producers, Arin Sheehan '22 and Milo Reynolds-Dominguez '20, and technical director, Will Aubrecht '21, are determined to provide a space for student performers, directors, and playwrights to make theatre together despite the COVID-19 crisis. "We truly believe that this event will help bring students together, especially those who are scattered around the world right now," says Sheehan.

"Through a fun evening of entertainment and art, we hope we can create connection, despite the distance."

Festival 24.0 will be streamed for free via Zoom on Saturday, May 9, at 8:00 p.m. ET. The link will be posted on the Facebook event prior to the performance.

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