One Night Stand

July 6, 2018





Chad

Elena

One Night Stand

This year marked the return of one of our favorite theater projects, “One Night Stand” at the Studios of Key West. First conceived in 2007 by Mark Hedden and Elena Devers, the lightning fast project of writing, creating, rehearsing and producing four ten minute plays in twenty-four hours was back for another go this year.

Morgan









“One Night Stand” features some of the most creative people in Key West who must be at once spontaneous, brave, talented and somewhat silly no matter what task they are assigned. Actors, writers, directors, prop specialists, stage managers, set designers and anyone else interested in participating gather at 7:00 PM on a Friday night at TSKW where they literally are combined into teams by literally drawing out of a hat.



Morgan





With the clock ticking, dozens of people work together at a wickedly fast pace to make the project come to fruition. Playwrights write all night to deliver freshly penned scripts to The Studios on Saturday morning, just in time for actors, directors, and artists to pick up the creative baton. Actors spent the whole day learning lines and getting into character, artists create canvas backdrops for each of the new plays, and directors play ringmaster, working to keep focus and momentum throughout the day.









Each writer is given a common line and a prop that must be incorporated in to the play and each is given a setting where and when the play takes place and after that they are on their own. They are assigned actors in a random draw that mixes experienced with total newcomers which adds to the zany fun.

Marky



Kristyn





So many of our friends are involved each year and we love to watch what they come up with. This year, I attended the opening night selection process and then did not see any of the participants until the first of the two sold out performances held the following night and it truly is amazing to see what they come up with each year.

Cricket

Q-Mitch

Elena





The four short plays were MCed by the amazing Marky Pierson and were created and performed by some of the funniest and most talented creative people in Key West. Each ten minute show seemed funnier and more outrageous than the previous one and taken together, it was a fun and wonderful night of theater. Even when there were obvious flubs or forgotten lines, it only added to the frenzied nature of the endeavor.







This wasn’t the only creative burst in Key West this month, over at the Custom’s House Museum a new exhibit opened highlighting another group of Key West’s most creative artists with the opening of “Islands, Imagination and Instance: Florida Keys Folk Art” The new exhibit features some of the Keys best and most respected Folk Artists including Stanley Papio, Makiki, Ronny Bailey, Frank Balbontin, Mario Sanchez, Jack Baron and Papito Suarez.







The beautiful exhibit displays both current and past artists who have contributed to the Folk tradition in the most unique way. I was especially pleased to see our friend Ronny Bailey included. I have contended since first meeting him that his work deserves to be show in museums especially here locally. Ronny creates incredible tiny replicas of famous Key West properties using recycled wood from some of the very buildings he is recreating.







Finally I want to give a shout out to the Marker Resort. If it is a sunny weekend day, chances are you might find me lounging poolside at the beautiful local friendly resort. Their twin pools, wonderful bar and yummy food are too enticing on a hot summer day to stay away from and both Kathy and I spend a good bit of time there.



Landon



http://markypierson.com/onenightstand

https://activerain.com/blogsview/2105511/ronny-bailey---key-west-artist