SEMO students to present three evenings of short plays

Southeast Missouri State University will present an evening of short plays opening Thursday, Oct. 26, at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

The short plays are seven of the finalists from the 2023 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival.

Jenna Moore, associate professor of musical theater at SEMO, said each play is 10- to 15-minutes long and audiences will see a variety of stories both comedic and dramatic.

"It's a different evening of theater because you get these little, short moments that share a theme throughout," Moore said. "So, instead of having a full-length story that you're following, you have these seven different stories that are all connected by the stars and outdoors and by trying to find love."

Moore directed one of the short plays and served as the directing mentor for the students who directed the others.

Highlighting a few of the plays, Moore said "Young Women of Valor" by Shara Feit follows two 15-year-old girls at an Orthodox Jewish camp and "Seriously, Really, Our Parents Are What?" by Adam Szudrich is about two college students in a relationship who have discovered their parents are dating each other. She said one of her favorite plays is "Stars and Stripes" by Matt Morse about a gay, male couple who must navigate their relationship after one decides to join the military.

Moore said some of the plays have mature content and recommends the evening for ages 13 and older.

The Lanford Wilson Short Plays will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, through Saturday, Oct. 28, in the Rust Flexible Theatre at 518 S. Fountain St. on the SEMO River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (573) 615-2289 or online at www.SEMO.edu/river-campus-events/calendar.