On Wednesday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m., the Washington High School (WHS) Drama Club, in cooperation with the Massillon Museum, will present an evening of original one-act plays relating to the NEA Big Read and this year’s book selection, Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. WHS dramatics students and advisors will direct, perform, and manage the stage for four short plays.

Presented in the WHS auditorium, admission to the One-Acts performance is free and open to all. No reservations are required.

Cattle Call by local playwright Judi Christy will be directed by Miriam Joseph.  Allison Dietrick is the casting director and Kiydin Jackson is the director’s assistant.  Isaiah McCullough, Rheegan Lustig, Hannah Studer, Basil White, and Alliah Evans will perform.

Brayden Frascone who previously penned plays for and performed in NEA Big Read plays, has created The Case for Lieutenant Liberty, which is directed by Katie Perry. Ethan Alter, Autumn Hendershot, Liberty Erichsen, and Kira Baldwin are the performers.

Washington High School student Liberty Erichsen wrote Not Home but Sort Of…. Advisors Mrs. Erichsen and Mrs. Boone will direct. The performers will be Mary Hersher, Kaelyn Pribich, Cale Bishop, and Dominic Stahlman.

The Pine Flower, written by Dawn Dagger, will also be directed by Mrs. Erichsen and Mrs. Boone. Kyle Popovich, Claire Grisak, and DJ Patterson will take the stage.

The evening of One-Act Plays is among many public events created for the NEA Big Read in Western Stark County for 2023.  A bookmark listing all events is included in each free copy of Interior Chinatown, which can be obtained at the Massillon Museum or the Massillon Public Library.

The NEA Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Arts Midwest designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. Learn more at www.arts.gov/initiatives/nea-big-read. The NEA Big Read 2023 marks the 16th year that the Massillon Museum has received this prestigious grant and orchestrated the one-act plays.  

The Massillon Museum receives operating support from the Ohio Arts Council, ArtsinStark, and the citizens of Massillon, as well as marketing support from Visit Canton. In addition to NEA funding, MassMu receives support from One Tiger and Rotary Club of Massillon for the NEA Big Read and the Little Read.

Washington High School is located at One Paul E. Brown Boulevard, S.E. in Massillon.  For more information about the NEA Big Read, the One-Act Plays, or related events, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit MassillonMuseum.org.