A student-led production of “All in the Timing” by David Ives will be making its upcoming debut at the University of Indianapolis. The performances, taking place Sept. 19-21 at 7 p.m. in the studio theater, will feature four plays out of a 16-play program, according to senior theater major and the play’s director Dee Woods.
The focus of the various plays revolve around the concept and power of words and time, Woods said. Woods said he always wanted to go to school for the performing arts, so after he completed military school and was accepted into UIndy’s theatre program, he took advantage of the opportunity. Woods said he has been acting since he was an adolescent, so having experience working in several a variety of theater roles has proved to be helpful in leading this show, as this project is the largest one he’s been involved with. Part of being a director means having more control over various aspects of the production, Woods said.
“Directing the show is more so me and my other peers around helping me out, rather than producing the show,” Woods said. “I’m the one that’s coming up with the designs, the budget, the space, the times that we need to use the space. Basically just handling all aspects of the show, minus stage management and crew.”
Woods said the project is his senior capstone, and he feels grateful for the opportunity as he hopes this will open up more chances for student-led productions, which have not been a possibility in the past few years. Seeing all the pieces come together for “All in the Timing” has been a cool experience working as the director, Woods said.
“I tell my actors all the time, the beauty is within the detail,” Woods said. “Working everything from scratch and seeing it fully produced on a professional stage like that has been my favorite [part].”
Senior theater major Dipper Dickerson is part of the acting cast for “All in the Timing.” After joining their high school theater program and feeling a connection, Dickerson said they decided to pursue theater at UIndy, since they had a friend already in the program. Dickerson said they have been a part of every UIndy theater production, either on stage and behind the scenes, while they have been a student. The play is a strange comedy, according to Dickerson, and the cast will have more freedom to perform when the production makes its UIndy debut, where their performances of “All in the Timing” at IndyFringe, an independent Indianapolis theater, limits their time.
“They [the plays] are really short, and they’re all about different things,” Dickerson said. “I would say it’s kind of like the wackiest thing you’ve ever seen.”
Dickerson said the student-led production process was challenging at times because of the different skill levels of those involved. However, being able to see everything and everyone come together for the end product is the essence of theater. Woods said working through the hiccups of a completely student-led production to have a successful and finalized production on a stage has been his favorite part of the process.
Assistant Professor of Communication and Director of the Theatre Program Grant Williams said he advised the students, but other than that did not do much at all. He said he envisions a similar process moving forward in the department, especially now that theater has merged with the communication department, and experiential courses are a part of the communication curriculum. Having opportunities like student-led productions at a professional theater gives students the agency to figure out how theater processes work, Williams said.
“They [the students] are having to figure out the problems and brainstorm themselves,” Williams said. “They’re also building important contacts in the community, which will help them, when they leave the university, to be professionals with contacts in town.”
Anyone in the UIndy community can get involved with theater on campus, Dickerson, Woods and Williams said. Woods added that there are exciting opportunities coming up through the rest of the year including the fall show “Circle Mirror Transformation” by Annie Baker and the Rocky Horror shadow cast. Woods and Dickerson also expressed their excitement for the spring semester’s production of “Tick, Tick… Boom!” by Jonathan Larson, and said students should be on the lookout for interest forms.
