Plano Senior Speech Alums Stir Up Hijinx With Texas Premiere

A year ago, Becki McDonald and Proper Hijinx Artistic Director Stefany Cambra officially met at the One Minute Play Festival, where they were both directing. Cambra had just returned to her high school alma mater as the new Oral Interp coach for the Plano Speech and Debate Team. Immediately, this formed a connection between the two directors. McDonald was also a Plano alum and they were both coached by the same set of educators that helped them build the foundation of skills they now use as professional artists in the DFW Theatre community.

Both women attribute the vast majority of their success to the strong training they received from the Speech and Theatre Programs at Plano Senior High School. "We learned how to balance a hectic schedule, we learned out to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone, and we learned how to OWN our performances, our successes, and our mistakes - and how to use that ownership to constantly work towards becoming better", Cambra stated. Going beyond that, both ladies expressed that it was at Plano they first learned about text analysis, author's intent, creating a respectful working environment, and the power of collaboration.

Now, a year later, these Plano alums are acting on the collaboration and hectic scheduling they learned in high school. Both women are directing again for the One Minute Play Festival which opens this Saturday, August 11 - the day after the Texas Premiere of Hansol Jung's Cardboard Piano opens, which McDonald is directing and Cambra is acting in; all while simultaneously getting ready for the impending school year that starts next week. Balancing multiple schedules has been no easy feat, but it's been a lot of fun.

"I keep my planner open all the time to make sure I know what's coming at me," McDonald shared, "it's crazy running from one show to the next, but I love it!" Cambra agreed, and determined the chaos is worth it. "Based on our backgrounds, I knew that Becki would share similar thought processes on storytelling, text analysis, and work ethic. Plus our energies vibed so well that I couldn't imagine anyone being a better choice to direct a play that I fell in love with when I first saw it at The Humana Festival. Plano has a tradition of excellence; I figured it was a good time to call on that tradition and bring this show to life for the first time in the state of Texas."

Now with opening night fast approaching, the only thing the girls are nervous about are their former teachers, now colleagues, coming to see their show. Here's hoping for a production worthy of an A+.

Plan Your Weekend:
Cardboard Piano by Hansol Jung Produced by Proper Hijinx Productions

August 10-12, 17-19

Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PMSundays at 2:00 PM
Tickets: $12 general admission. Additional service fees may apply.Visit properhijinx.com for more information.

One Minute Play Festival

Produced by One Minute Play Festival and Kitchen Dog Theater August 11-13 at 8:00 PM
Tickets: $20 general admission.

Additional service fees may apply.Visit http://www.kitchendogtheater.org/ for more information.

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