Santa Clara University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will open its 2026-27 season this weekend with the Fall One Act Festival, featuring three student-directed productions.

This quarter’s directors are theatre students Emma Fox ’27, Sherman Sherman ’27 and Caroline Gruenbaum ’28.

“The Game,” written by Louise Bryant and directed by Fox, is an allegorical play in which personified versions of life and death compete in a series of children’s games to claim two artistic souls from earth.

For Fox, the most rewarding part of the process has been collaborating with actors to develop their characters and bring the story to life.

“I have always loved getting to work one-on-one with actors to help them figure out who their characters really are, past what is just written on the page,” said Fox.

Fox hopes audiences leave the performance with a greater appreciation for life and the experiences it offers.

“The experience of creating art, being with friends, or building a future is such a beautiful thing, and we shouldn’t take advantage of the time that we have,” said Fox.

“Impromptu Entertainments,” written by Don Sheridan and directed by Sherman, is a collection of short, nonsensical plays exploring love and family. Sherman is directing three selections from the collection: “I do! I do! I do!,” “The Smiths at Home,” and “The House on The Bluff.”

Sherman began researching the production during spring quarter, months before rehearsals started. Over the past three weeks, he has watched his cast become increasingly comfortable with the material.

“The most rewarding part of this was seeing my actors go from seeing the script for the first time and trying to get the words right, to memorizing the lines and actually having fun with each other,” said Sherman.

He hopes audiences will enjoy the production’s humor as much as his cast has enjoyed bringing it to life.

“I hope everyone can have a laugh, and some good, wholesome fun, which I think the world is presently missing,” said Sherman.

The festival rounds out with “The Insanity of Mary Girard,” written by Lanie Robertson and directed by Gruenbaum.

The play is based on the life of Mary Lum Girard, who was married to Philadelphia businessman Stephen Girard. In 1790, he legally had Mary declared insane and committed to an asylum.

Set in a Pennsylvania Hospital, the production explores Mary’s experiences with institutionalization and the societal attitudes surrounding women and mental health.

“The audience becomes basement ward spectators at the Pennsylvania Hospital,” said Gruenbaum. “Placed directly in Mary Girard’s fractured mental world, they witness the drastic effects of a corrupted health system, monetary greed, unyielding androcentrism and society’s accusing finger.”

Gruenbaum particularly enjoyed collaborating with her cast and watching the production develop throughout rehearsals.

“Working with such a wonderfully talented and dedicated cast has been the greatest highlight for me,” said Gruenbaum. “Seeing the ideas presented in this play brought to life onstage is thrilling in a way you will only understand if you witness it.”

Gruenbaum hopes the production will encourage audiences to consider Mary’s experiences and perspective.

She dedicates the production to women who have been deemed “insane.”

The Fall One Act Festival will have two performances—where all three shows are featured sequentially—at the Fess Parker Studio Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. both days.

Tickets are free for Santa Clara University students. Additional ticket information is available through SCU Presents.