Kai Ady and Daniella Zacarias performing “Variations on the Death of Trostsky.” (Armando Montesino/SFMN)
Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus kicked off its run of “All in the Timing” Thursday night, a series of six one-act plays written by David Ives that explored themes from the personal to the existential.
Micah M. Smyth, who directed the plays and helped with the set design, said they “explore the human condition, and bring something I think we can all relate to.”
The play is Smyth’s debut for MDC. He previously worked at in Chicago at Chicago Scenic Studios, Collaboration Theatre Company as well as the Goodman and Steppenwolf theatres.
Smyth joined forces with other campus departments such as Visual Resources and Robotics & Engineering to create an automated set.
Before the show began, Smyth and the crew were putting finishing touches on the show, testing the rotating set and putting up curtains. He dressed in goggles and boots while giving directions on lighting and set pieces.
“The idea came to me last June, and I immediately got to work. The convenient part is, I live down the street, but it’s still nonstop,” Smyth said.
Mario Mendez, a lighting assistant and construction crew member, talked about the work put into the show.
“The stage was painted black last night until 5 a.m., right before the show,” Mendez said.
Mendez also spoke about what the show means to him.
“My girlfriend is also doing lighting and acting in the show. It’s sort of sentimental to us, since we’re graduating and this is gonna be our last play,” he said.
The doors opened at around 7:40 p.m., and guests and crew members took their seats around the theater, including Smyth, who changed out of his workshop clothes and into a leather jacket. At about 8 p.m., the show began.
The first play was “Sure Thing,” starring Kelsy Williams and Danny Lehem. The play is about a young man, Bill, played by Lehem, flirting with a woman played by Williams.
Each time his flirting would fall flat, Bill would call for the waiter, a bell would ring, and the situation would return to a previous point, signifying that time had gone backwards.
After the play finished, the stage rotated, and the next immediately began.
“The rotating stage makes it so that the audience is always engaged. No intermission, audience is almost never on their phone or anything like that,” Smyth said after the show.
Other themes explored included: monkeys on a typewriter contemplating their purpose, a con-man finding love through his fake language course and Leon Trotsky considering his life after he realizes he’s about to be assassinated.
The actors received a standing ovation after the show had ended.
Aaron Alpern, the producer of the show, was glad everyone seemed to enjoy the show.
“We put a lot of work into this, so it means a lot to see the audience react so well,” he said.
For his part, Smyth said he enjoyed the process.
“I do this so it’s accessible to the young people,” Smyth said outside the theater following the show. “These guys wanna act, I put together the show, and they were all in for the ride.”
The show will be presented on Oct. 12 and 13 and again from Oct. 17 to 19. Entry is free, and more information can be found Here.
