The Southwestern College theatre department will present student directed scenes with its “Fools on the Hill” performance on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 6:30 p.m.  Gathering at the top of the 77 Steps, student and community audiences will travel up and down the steps to view four 10-minute plays directed by students in the Directing 1 class.

The performance on the hill outside of conventional theatre spaces was the suggestion of Andy Sheppard, academic dean at Southwestern College. 

“Several years ago the dean encouraged us to take theatre out of our normal performance spaces and perform ‘where the people are,’” says Roger Moon, professor of theatre and faculty instructor of the Directing I class that presents its first project each September.  “It has been a wonderful success, and the students and SC audiences look forward to it each year.  Students and professors crossing campus watch and hear rehearsals for two weeks as the students rehearse.  They stop and ask questions, and then the come to see the shows.  We have great fun.”

This year the student directors are creating “A Raucous Caucus” of political plays by Adam Sharp, SC graduate of 2007, who is now working as a playwright in Minneapolis, Minn.  Sharp, who began his study of playwriting at Southwestern, wrote and created the very successful series of political plays “10-10-POST-9-11” which was recognized by the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in 2006, and performed at the KCACTF regional festival.  According to Moon, Sharp works to be continually aware of and write about political issues as he is becoming increasingly successful and recognized as a successful playwright in the highly competitive quality regional theatre scene.  

Sharp has created an annual “Raucous Caucus” celebration of arts and politics in Minneapolis, bringing together national political theatre writers, directors, performers, and audiences. 

“We are extremely privileged and pleased to have Adam and his work back here at Southwestern,” Moon says.

There is no admission charge to attend.  The plays will start at the top of the 77 Steps and end at the bottom of the steps.  Audiences may walk, but all locations are handicap accessible because of the sidewalks that wind up the west side of the hill.