Student Spotlight: Delusional Theatre Major Puts On One-Man Play Over Zoom

It has been a rough year for the performing arts as COVID has forced most theatre companies to postpone or cancel events entirely. However, one University of Iowa theatre major is pushing forward, despite the advice of his peers and basic common sense.

Austin Adrian has been a performing arts student for two years and has so far only found luck in playing minor or ensemble roles. But he’s about to change all that. Adrian is in the midst of preparing for his first ever one-man show to be completely staged via Zoom.

“I conceived of the idea way back in March when the lack of constant attention first started eating away at me,” Adrian says. “I figured if I was going to go crazy, I might as well funnel it into my art. At least that’s what all the other great actors do.”

The title of Adrian’s magnum opus is Breakout, a play on Zoom’s breakout room feature as well as Adrian’s own desire to break out of the confinements of quarantine. Adrian said he doesn’t want to give too much away about his one-man Zoom play, but he says he tackles today’s issues (social injustice, wage inequality, gender, etc.) as tastefully as a second-year theatre major can.

“I don’t shy away from the harsh realities of being forced to step away from the limelight either,” Adrian says. “The world is going through so much right now, but I really just wanted to focus on how it’s affecting people like me.”

Adrian’s friends have mixed opinions on his upcoming Zoom performance.

“What the hell is wrong with this kid?” remarks Adrian’s Facebook friend, Kyle Smetrie. “I saw his invite to a virtual meeting and thought it was a joke.”

“Oh, I’m so excited,” says fellow theatre major, Ellis Fontana. “This is making me feel way better about my own decision to pursue theatre as a career. Even if I don’t end up making it out there, at least I never did something like this.”

The show is scheduled for 9 PM on the 12th and is expected to singlehandedly save live theatre (in Adrian’s words).