Alex H's Senior Project Blog

Project Title: One Man's Dream: Creating a One-Man Show
BASIS Advisor: Kasey Ray
Internship Location: Places Productions
Onsite Mentor: Allison Zuccaro, President



Project Abstract

I first developed an interest in drama when I began taking classes in my fourth grade year at Basis. I learned many theatrical facets including lighting, sound design, improvisation, blocking, set design, writing monologues and scenes, and acting for the camera. My most challenging role was the Cowardly Lion in the schoolwide production of The Wizard of Oz. This was challenging due to the fact that I not only had to work with younger children, but also had to sing in front of a large audience, which was quite difficult. While it is fun, I have also been able to see that theater can be a tool to teach others about difficult subjects. In order to address my struggles with special needs, I plan to write, perform and film a one man show based on my life experience. I will be interning at Places! Productions to learn even more about theater and storytelling.

    My Posts:

  • Strike the Set: Goodbye and Good Luck: 4/29/2024

    This past Thursday I performed my one man show. It was a runaway success. Everyone that was there complimented me on my delivery skills, said that it felt relatable to their issues, and even suggested that I should go into public speaking. I feel incredibly validated and am incredibly thankful for everyone who showed up.... Read More

  • Curtain Call: The Final Shows: 4/22/2024

    This week Urinetown moved to the Nesbitt Elliott Playhouse of the Mesa Arts Center. During our first tech rehearsal on Tuesday, the teen cast appeared on FOX News to promote the show. I took photos for the segment’s host, Cory McCloskey and even chatted a bit with him. You can see the segments on the... Read More

  • Finale: Opening Night No.1: 4/15/2024

    This past week was the opening night of Urinetown at East Valley High School. I can safely say that it was a smashing success. It’s been fun seeing BASIS students and current and former teachers attending the first performances to support their friends. This week as credited stage manager, I was hit with an incredible... Read More

  • Denouement: A Stressful Week: 4/7/2024

    This week at Places!, I had a brand new responsibility bestowed on me in light of tech week happening. I am in charge of the lightboard. One of the actors, Jackson, programmed the cues and all I have to do is activate them with a click when they appear in the script. Surprisingly it's quite... Read More

  • Act Two: BYU and Behind the Scenes: 3/31/24

    This week, I was able to fit in some time in between my theater work in order to attend a college tour at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I actually have a bit of family history with this institution as my dad attended there in his youth. During the tour, I was able to... Read More

  • Entr’acte: All About the Play: 3/24/2024

    I am entering the serious writing and revision phase of my show right now. My writing is like the icing on a cake, and I need to write the cake itself. I am currently not needed for Beauty and the Beast because at this time Ms. Nelson is helping to make the “flatware entertaining”. Rehearsal... Read More

  • Intermission: All About the Theater: 3/18/24

    One of my fellow seniors asked a question in a recent blog post comment that gave me the inspiration to write this post. He asked what the differences were between Places! Productions and the theater at BASIS. Before going into comparison, I would like to let you know about the basics of a theater as... Read More

  • Program Notes: All About the Actor: 3/11/24

    While doing this senior project, it came to my attention that I'm sure a lot of you don't know that much about me and my interests. with this special Spring Break blog post, I am sharing some of my unique interests and exciting experiences I’ve had in my life.   First of all, I enjoy... Read More

  • Dance Break: Keeping Myself Organized: 3/3/2024

    My work at Places! Productions is going along swimmingly. This Friday both the teen and the adult casts ran through the entire first act of the play. I was able to stand in a lot more for absent actors and perform a few songs. I am also trying to work hard to find other ways... Read More

  • Act One: Writng about Tough Things: 2/25/2024

    Play practice on both fronts is going smoothly and I'm continuing to work on stories for my one man show. In relation to this topic, I have something that I would like to confess about my project: it's sometimes hard to write about some of the stories I want to tell. This show is meant... Read More

  • Overture: The First Week: 2/18/2024

    This week, my senior project saw a lot of exciting developments. Ms. Giles and Mr. Ray encouraged me to look for stories from my life that showcase my neurodivergence and find shows to research. One such show that I watched was Mike Birbiglia’s The Old Man and the Pool. In the show, Birbiglia discusses various... Read More

  • Prologue: Why Write a Show?: 2/11/2024

    Growing up, I have always had issues communicating with people about what I wanted to do. I have also had issues with being social and maintaining friendships. When I was about 12, I learned that this issue was the result of ADHD and high-functioning autism. This revelation helped me to understand my situation better. With... Read More