McDaniel College theatre students present their Capstone directing work “Trepidation Nation” at 8 p.m. April 21 and 22 in the Dorothy Elderdice Studio Theatre. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 410-857-2294.

“Trepidation Nation” is an anthology of 16 short plays written by different authors, each one dealing with a particular phobia.

It is being presented as part of the biannual Capstone course “Directing.” Students chose a short play, picked actors from a casting call, and directed the cast and crew throughout the rehearsal process.

“This is the first time directing for most of them,” says Assistant Theatre Arts Professor Elizabeth van den Berg. “It’s their first time looking at things from this point of view.”

The seven students have various professional goals ranging from theatre management, lighting design, film studies, and theatre education.

“Taking this course is something I felt would benefit me working with kids when I get into the real world,” says Jenna Layman ’06, who plans to student-teach at Cranberry Station Elementary after graduation. Layman is directing the short play, “Down to Sleep.”

Because the course is taught biannual, juniors may be doing their Capstone work in the course. The course is a pre-requisite for directing a full-length play at the College – a goal of Kim Rodney’s ’07.

“The class is a lot of fun, and because I’m taking it as a junior, I might be able to do a show on my own next year.” says Rodney, who is directing the scenes, “Hold This” and “The Gallow’s Monologue” in “Trepidation Nation.”

Other short scenes are directed by Tony Cimino ’07, Carrie Council ’06, Amber Grimes ’06, Gary Markle ’06, and Michelle Prada ’07.

Theatre majors have a choice of taking the Capstone course in directing or a drama workshop course, also taught biannually, which is focused on acting through interactive and community-based theatre.