Annual evening of one-act plays launches Theatre Northwest season

Northwest Missouri State University's 2025-26 season of Theatre Northwest opens Sept. 18-20 with "A Fall Evening of One-Acts," featuring three student-directed plays, each consisting of minimal characters and runtimes.

The one-act plays consist of "A Blind Date" by Elliot Baker, "Down Came the Rain" by Burgess Clark and "Pillow Talk" by Peter Tolan.

The "Evening of One-Acts" begins at 7:30 p.m. each night in the Black Box theater, located on the lower floor of the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts on the Northwest campus.

Tickets are $6 and may be purchased online, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 18, at https://www.nwmissouri.edu/finearts/theatre/ or at the box office one hour prior to showtime.

Lillian Rindfuss, who serves as production manager for "A Blind Date" and Theatre Northwest's publicity manager, said the evening celebrates stories that matter, and it will leave audiences entertained, moved and inspired.

"'A Fall Evening of One Acts' brings together three powerful stories that will make you laugh, reflect and connect in new ways," said Rindfuss, a sophomore theatre technical and design major from West Des Moines, Iowa. "From the quirky charm of 'A Blind Date' to the tender and emotional journey of 'Down Came the Rain,' to the thought-provoking honesty of 'Pillow Talk,' these one-acts showcase the wide range of human experience - love, family and friendship."

Producing the one-act plays is a component of Theatre Northwest's Lab Series. The productions are directed, acted, designed and stage-managed by students, and participation in the Lab Series is required for speech and theatre education majors.

"A Blind Date," directed by Korbin Horton, presents a story of unknown love and quick judgments as it follows two quirky individuals, Skip and Elieen, who learn there may be more to each other than what initially meets the eye. The characters discover there is someone for everyone - no matter their interests and no matter how they look or act.

"Down Came the Rain," directed by Remington Carter, depicts an 18-year-old, Micheal, and his 14-year-old brother, Brucie, who is considered mentally "slow." When they venture on a camping trip together, Brucie's never-ending curiosity becomes increasingly unbearable to Michael, especially when the questions involve the death of their mother. The play is a touching, sad and ultimately hopeful exploration of two vastly different brothers and how they navigate the delicacy of family and truth.

"Pillow Talk," directed by Anna Verhoff, features a conversation that only best friends can have. Aaron and Doug are embarking on their own journey of self-discovery. On just the first night, they dive into sensitive topics that don't get enough light, such as the stigma around homosexuality, internalized toxic masculinity and human connection. "Pillow Talk" will have its audiences laughing and thinking more critically about things that are not often discussed.

Theatre Northwest's fall lineup continues Oct. 9-12 with "They Promised Her the Moon" as the University's annual First-Year Student Showcase. Theatre Northwest will then stage "When We Were Young and Unafraid" Nov. 13-16.