Where can you find a girl stuck in a whale, a children’s-television show gone awry, and a murder-tinged Christmas story, all on one night? Why, the Witness Theater I-Show, of course! Throughout Intersession, Witness Theater, JHU’s largest student-written, student-produced theater group, has been busily working on its I-Show: a night of one-act plays written, directed, and designed by JHU students.
“Witness is a great opportunity for students to put on professional performances written by the students themselves,” playwright and director Matt Moores ’16, explains. His play, “The Rainbow Brigade,” is a satire that follows a colorful (no pun intended) group of actors who find themselves on a children’s television show.
What’s nice about Witness is its flexibility. There are some members of the Witness family who write, direct, and act, but others who specialize in one area. There are also opportunities for sound designers, lighting technicians, and set builders. It’s a great group because it allows students to explore theater in a welcoming, low-pressure environment while producing high quality shows. Especially for aspiring playwrights, like Sarah White ’16, Witness is a valuable resource because “you get to see your work produced.”
“Witness Theater was the very first student group I got involved with on campus. They made me feel so welcome. I had done theater in high school, but Witness made me feel comfortable with the JHU theater community right away,” says Rebecca VanVoorhees, ’17. “They’re so passionate about what they do, and everyone works really hard to put on great performances.”
Witness is also one of the most diverse communities on campus because it taps into the various talents of the student body—the team is just as eclectic as the ideas it produces. Some members are actively involved with the Johns Hopkins University Theater, but many of the writers and directors are majoring in the sciences and engineering (which is definitely a plus, because right now, the tech team is engineering a whale for Witness President Jen Diamond’s play, “A Whale is Not a Home.”)
The Witness I-Show will be playing in the Swirnow Theater on February 14th and 15th at 8:00 pm, and Sunday, February 16th at 3:00 pm. For more information about getting involved with Witness Theater, email witnesstheater@gmail.com.