The Drama Behind the Drama

Madison Lafond studies while she waits her turn for a makeup artist to give her body makeup.

It is a bittersweet moment for actors on closing night of Oedipus Rex. Those in the show part ways and continue with their daily lives, but the experience will remain.

Actors Madison Lafond
and Jessica Wiseman chat
while getting ready for the
show.

Shanda Christiansen gets
her hair done early so she
has time to apply makeup.

It is three hours before the show and some actors arrive to ready for their final curtain call. Shanda Christiansen was among the first of the cast to arrive. "I am addicted to theatre.... but this is my last show [on this stage.]" As Kelly Baker helped Shanda style her hair for the performance, Shanda reflected on her experiences in the show. "It's always a bittersweet moment when a show ends. You will miss the friends you make, but at least I can catch up on my homework." As more actors filed into the dressing room, they shared similar statements.

Actors Rebecca Moore and Sam Head wait for their final touch of makeup before the final performance of Oedipus Rex.

Tony Paradise said, "... it's bittersweet -- when I'm done with this, I'm memorizing lines for another show. It's a constant." Tony decided to pursue acting later in college after studying biology for about three years "I didn't like it," he said. "I acted in high school ... so I came back."

Victoria Race, a makeup artist talks to actors Janelle Cross and Matt Allen in the makeup room.

An actor awaits for spirit gum, an adhesive, to be applied
to his face so his mask can stay on during the performance.

The actors are not the only one's who feel get stressed either. Blair Robinson, one of the technicians, admitted, "it is very stressful, but I thrive on that kind of stress." Technicians put in a lot of time in to the show and have to neglect friends and along with other commitments. “I miss my roommate.” Blair said, “... she's my best friend.”

An actor asks Victoria a question as she
applies a mask onto another actor's face.

Technical Theatre is probably one of the most disrespected part of theatre. “I never appreciated technicians [in high school]” says Emily Sue Randall. “It's not as prestigious as acting, but they are the ones that make a show come to life.” Dominique Chavous, a technician, stated, “I hate technical theatre. The thing that makes me upset are how actors treat 'tekkies' as though they are beneath them.... It ain't fun.” In contrast, Sabrina Nucci said, “I am very excited [for the show to end] … I feel like it is my baby.”

The most time-consuming portion of a technician, according to Emily Sue, is Tech Week. “[tech week] is commonly described as Hell Week … I have to sit behind a plate of glass and call the ques … but by the end of Tech Week, you are performance ready.” Emily Sue is the stage manager of the production. “[Being stage manager] can be very overwhelming. At times I would have the weight of the world on my shoulders, but I enjoy it.... I'm sad now that it is over, but it is nice to be relieved of that responsibility.” Emily Sue is a college senior, she has one term left, but she has plans for the future as well as some of the other actor in the show.

 Kelley Baker and Shanda Christiansen look at each other in
excitement as they get ready for their last show of Oedipus.

“I want to teach high schoolers how to act.” Emily Sue stated. Shanda is going to start her own theatre company. “We're going to start here [in Rexburg, Idaho] because my husband still has to finish school,” Shanda said, “but we will eventually relocate to Utah” Another actor has a bigger dream. “after I finish my student teaching, I'm going to go to New York.” Says Seve Isaacs. “I've always felt to New York. [I lived] in a big city, so that's why.” Though they have aspirations to follow the memories and contacts made will remain.

"Half the fun of getting to do a play is getting to meet a bunch of awesome people." Ashley Messinger said. "I'm sad now that it is over." says Emily Sue "it is especially sad when a show ends because the cast is like family. You may never see these people again (like Seve).... and you're sad it's over."

Ashley Messinger and Janelle Cross joke and chat as they work on their makeup.

A Student's Holiday

A student at Brigham Young University - Idaho stands in awe at a local fireworks display.

Although most college and university students across the nation are out for summer, some students are still in session. With the Fourth of July weekend gone in the distance, students are still buzzing about their holiday fun.

In Rexburg, Idaho students all over Brigham Young University - Idaho fled campus to go have fun with friends and family. Those with family nearby, could not wait to pass up the opportunity to get free food and free laundry at home. "I had been building up on my hamper for weeks." One student admitted. Many students were able to get away fairly easily because of BYU-I's ride board. Natalya Latin, freshman, "Other than using i-Learn for homework, the ride board is the most frequent page I visit on the school's website."

Erin Lingard embraces daughter, Molly, as they cool off inside.

As students left campus for the holiday weekend, plans were set in motion. On the I-15 to Utah, some students waved to one another from recognizing the BYU-I parking sticker. Once at their destination students had some fun in the hot sun, others just could not take the heat.

Rachel Tonks, "... it [was] so hot in Utah! I just wanted to stay cool inside for the weekend." With temperatures in the mid-90's who would want to be outside in the blistering heat? "My brother and his family came up from Missouri. I haven't seen them in a year so it was great seeing them. We just hung out inside and caught up. It was fine considering we had air conditioning.”

Jennifer Chase, Jessica Gainer, and Mya
Gainer have fun trowing rocks into the
river at the base of the waterfall.

A group of locals met in Draper, Utah for a canyoneering adventure at a local waterfall right outside of town. Some brought friends and family along who played at the base while the group hiked to the top of the waterfall. Jennifer Chase stated, “It was too dangerous to repel all of the way down the waterfall.... With record snowfall, it's no wonder why the water level was so high.” Even though the adventure group couldn't do what they planned, they still enjoyed their time playing at the base of the falls.

A group of girls use bottle rockets as
sparklers for a better fireworks show.

"I was so happy I got to go see my sister back in Sandy[, Utah]" Bryant Conners, 19, recounts. "My roommate and I had a lot of fun.... We strapped rockets to toy cars and raced them to see who's car would go the furthest.... Mine went 20 feet, and my roommate's-his blew up."

In some states in the mid-west, fireworks are legal to light-off and are available in many stores like Costco, Wal-mart, and supermarkets. Some supermarkets rent out space in the parking lot for third party sellers to sell their explosives. "We get people coming in buying fireworks by the cart load." Says Sarah, a Costco employee in Utah "Some days we can barely keep them on the floor. People are just really patriotic I suppose."

Karina Jhonson runs from a freshly ignited fireworks display.

As the end of the holiday weekend rolled in at Rexburg; the locals ended it with a blast. Numerous citizens and students alike brought out their stocks of fireworks and set them off throughout the night. Kids held sparklers and bottle rockets and enjoyed the display. If anyone wanted to get close to the action, you just had to keep your eyes in the sky and find a source. One group had a display that would last them for hours. “We got the good stuff,” one local said. “Most of the explosives we have here were purchased at an Indian reservation.... They're not legal to buy here but they sure do make a big bang!”