Oak Park High School’s International Thespian Society presented “Our Place,” the sixth annual 24-Hour Play, on Nov. 16. Set at a lakeside dock, the play highlighted five different stories of friendship, romance, and family that come together to define the meaning of sharing something special.
“I think it was really interesting to see the different storylines and how they transitioned to each,” senior Diya Johnny said. “I also liked how they tied it up in the end to show how different life can be for people, which was really heartwarming.”
The students have a total of 24 hours spread over two days to prepare for the play. They split up into groups to create sets, technical effects, practice lines and more.
“The cast works entirely separately until maybe a few hours before our shows where everything is run together,” senior Set Team member Anusha Pandey said.
When the team finally does put everything together for the dress rehearsal, it’s a moment of commemorated accomplishment and fun.
“We have a tradition where we wear PJs to one of the dress rehearsals and bring stuffed animals to watch us and be our first audience,” Pandey said. “I love watching it all come together and being proud of the work we put in.
The usual director, Ellyn Schneider, takes a backseat to allow the students to run the play entirely, making it a special bonding experience for the theater troupe.
“The most memorable thing was being able to connect with different people this year, seeing as how it’s my senior year and my first year in theatre,” Pandey said. “I got to become friends with a lot of people I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
