SnapShots: A One-Act Play

Snapshots is a three-actor touching comedy that captures the high and low points of a 30-year marriage. Maggie ages from 27 to 60's and Sy, her husband, ages 32 to 60's. The Man represents various pivotal figures in their lives. Great for competitions, high schools, community theaters. Simple set: 3 cubes and a coat rack. Placed 3rd in the Kernoble One-Act Competition at the University of Arkansas. The events in this play are those that didn't make it into the family picture album but formed pivotal moments in the ongoing relationship. Maggie and Sy discover each other on a park bench near the University at which they have both come to teach. What follows is a whimsical and musical overview of their struggles during courtship, marriage, parenthood, and eventual widowhood, orchestrated by a park employee (or is he?) who assumes various roles: obstetrician, wedding party guest, and mysterious messenger. From the director Josie O'Laughlin at Concordia University in Nebraska: O'Laughlin said she chose to direct "Snapshots" because she believed many people could relate to its portrayal of simplicity. The play illustrates how moments that are seemingly small and insignificant can have a much larger impact, she said. "I also fell in love with the story it conveys to its audience," she said, "showing snapshots of memories found within the confines of two individual's lives. I believe that this one act, in particular, portrays beauty in the simple moments that make our relationships. It's not in the life-changing events, but the subtle words and looks."