Nicholls is in its second year of doing the Night of Student One Acts, and Nicholls Players have hopes for putting on more student directed works in the future.

“The last time we had a student director was years ago,” said Cheyenne Miller, a Nicholls Players and junior in English. “It’s been very rare lately, and we’re really hoping to bring it back, especially with the One Acts we’re doing.”

Miller directed Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing last fall. She said she really enjoyed being able to put it together and watch it all play out. Miller said she sees an advantage to having had that directing experience.

“When you’re able to get these experiences in the shelter of the University, you’re able to learn without completely failing at it because there’s someone there to help guide you,” said Miller. “With my directing skills, I feel more confident in my leadership skills and more confident going out into real world situations where I would have to be a leader or a manager.”

Miller will also be directing one of the Student One Act plays April 15, which are written and directed by English students here at the University. The first time Nicholls did this was in the spring of 2014, and Anna Broussard, the director of Nicholls Players, hopes student directing can turn into a regular thing.

“I would love to get to the point of letting students actually do their own full show,” said Broussard. “I think it would be nice to get the people who are really interested in this as a career path to come and have the opportunity…to give them those options and go, ‘Here, try the other jobs in the theater.’”
Broussard said they are trying to build a minor in theater for the University. It is in the books for the next calendar year, but it’s going to take some time to work out all of the kinks because renovations for the theater are supposed to start soon too. Broussard believes that would help to expand what is offered to students.

“I would love to have a space where we could do studio shows,” said Broussard. “We could have the one main stage show that’s put up and then opportunities for students to do stuff in other areas. Right now, there’s no place to do that. It’s not that we don’t have the interest, we just don’t have the facilities.”

Renee LeBlanc, a Nicholls Player and psychology major, was the assistant director for Miller last fall, and said she too can see benefits of being allowed to direct in this environment.

“Not just thrown out to where it’s just the student directing,” said Miller, “but I think there should be more assistant directing going on for people to be able to be underneath someone, so you’re learning and doing at the same time.”

LeBlanc said she sees many benefits in not just directing, but also in being part of the theater.

“All these skills that you learn in theater, you can apply them to everyday situations. Leadership skills, public speaking, learning how to organize events, anything you do in here, really. Theater applies to everything.”

LeBlanc will also be directing one of the Student One Acts this April.

The Nicholls Players will be performing Proof March 5th, 6th and 7th at 7 p.m. and March 8th at 2 p.m. in the Mary M. Danos Theater, directed by Anna Broussard. Student directors will get their turn on the Night of Student One Acts Apr. 15.