300Organizations THRILLER MEETS Senior Aubrey Jones directs “The Game’s Afoot” for Campus Players’ Centennial show. A murder-mystery play entitled “The Game’s Afoot” was chosen as the show put on by Campus Player’s for the fall 2023 semester. The president of the organization, senior, Aubrey Jones directed the group’s centennial show. “Campus players is an organization that has been around since 1924, since Harding was founded,” Jones said. “It’s looked different from year to year and has evolved, but there have been Campus Players shows pretty much since the beginning.” The Campus Players’ president directs an annual play, but it is traditionally a one-act play that is held in the spring semester. The 2023 play was a multiple-act play held in place of the typically faculty-directed play during the season. “The show that is usually in that slot is faculty-directed show,” Jones said. “The Campus Players show is being more directly supported by the University, and it will get a budget and publicity and direct faculty support that a faculty-directed production would even though it’s a student-led production.” This play was Jones’ first choice when she found out of her role of head director. “‘The Game’s Afoot’ is a comedy murder mystery set in 1936,” Jones said. “It involves a Broadway star who has played Sherlock Holmes on Broadway, and he and his friends that are in the show with him are all having a Christmas party, but during that party one of the guests gets stabbed. And suddenly a fun, exciting and jolly Christmas party turns sinister and the actor who plays Sherlock takes on a more real role of Sherlock and tries to figure out ‘whodunit.’” This was the first time that Jones directed a full-length play. She had been an assistant director, both in high school and with Campus Players. Specifically, she assistant-directed “One Stoplight Town” in spring 2022, which she explained helped prepare her for the position of head director. “I have a good insight into how a Campus Players show tends to be run and how to go about the process,” Jones said. “I’m really excited for this to be my first real directing experience.” Vice President of Campus Players, junior Madison Soper, worked with Jones frequently. She discussed her experience with Jones as a director and spoke about her directorial characteristics. “[Jones] is calm, wise and intelligent,” Soper said. “She knows what she’s doing and she’s worked hard.” Junior Maddie Canterbury, Secretary of Campus Players, agreed with Soper in her interactions with Jones. Canterbury spoke on Jones’ work ethic and her dedication to both the play and her team. “Aubrey has worked so incredibly hard on making sure this year is going to be incredible for Campus Players,” Canterbury said. “It’s been so awesome to work with her.” Written by Maggie Samples Theater “Numerous one-act lays were produced in the fortnightly meetings directed by advanced members of the group. Altogether the activities of the Campus Players have touched every phase of play production from writing the plays to making the costumes, creating the lighting effects, designing and painting the scenery, and training the casts. No more complete training school for effective speech and dramatics can be found.” Reprinted from Petit Jean 1931-1932
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