By Kim Friel
Student Life Editor
Senior drama major Emmy Landskroener will be broadcasting her senior thesis this weekend by directing her production of Adam Bock’s comedy Swimming in the Shallows.
Landskroener fell in love with the play all the way back in her freshmen year at Washington College. “I was taking an Acting I class with Polly Sommerfeld, we had to pick monologues, and I picked one from Swimming in the Shallows, which was in a book of plays we had to buy for the class. I decided to read the whole play just to get a feel for the character and I just fell in love with it and immediately knew I’d do it for my senior thesis,” she said. Not only do Drama majors have to direct a play of their choice, they also have to submit a written portion of the thesis. Landskroener had the time to work on this part of the senior capstone experience during her junior seminar and says her first draft will be due two weeks from now.
When asked what the hardest part of directing the production is, Landskroener said it’s the management aspect. “You’re pretty much in charge of everything and it all falls down to you up until the last few moments, which is a lot of pressure to put on one person.” Her favorite part has been working with her cast and crew. “They’ve been so great in putting my vision for this play to life, and I don’t know what I’d ever do without them.”
Swimming in the Shallows will be performed this Friday and Saturday evening from 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. in Tawes Theatre. “People should come to this show because it is fun and not like anything you’ve ever seen on stage before,” said Landskroener. “Everyone needs to be reminded that the little things are, in fact, ridiculous once in a while, and what could be better to help get you there than to see a play that has a shark in it?”