SUNY Oswego students Claire Bosley as Ashley and Brock Whaley as Justin will have an opportunity to really develop their character work in the student-directed production of  “After Ashley” opening on Nov. 9 in Tyler Hall’s lab theater.

Bosley and Whaley are the two upperclassmen involved in this semester's production. Their characters are mother and son, which Bosley said is weird for her because she has never played a mother before. 

Bosley, a senior at SUNY Oswego, has been involved in theater for all four years of college. She has been in multiple productions in that time.

“I audition for every show that Oswego does, but I do really like ‘After Ashley’ as a show,” Bosley said. “It’s really interesting.”

Whaley said it’s a funny show and the characters have a lot of layers. He is able to do more with his character because he gets to use comedy as well as other skills.

“From a story perspective, I loved Justin the first time I ever read him,” Whaley said. “He was honestly one of the funniest characters ever and he’s such a different role.”

Both Bosley and Whaley really connected to their characters and have had a lot of fun working together. Because this is such a small production with only six characters, the whole cast is able to get to know each other better.

“I do prefer smaller shows. I think that it creates this family of a production team and cast. Rehearsals are a lot of fun,” Bosley said. “With big shows you don’t get a chance to know everyone as a person.”

Whaley said the smaller productions allows for the actors to get more one-on-one corrections and improve their performances, compared to a larger production where there is much more going on. This is especially important for this production because the majority of the cast are freshmen.

“These are the kinds of shows that are amazing and they do so much for the individual actor,” Whaley said.

Not only is the smaller production more beneficial for the actors, but working with a student director also has a lot of benefits. Both Bosley and Whaley have known Nick Sweet before he became their director and said he is amazing to work with.

“I have known Nick all four years that I’ve been here,” Bosley said. “So I’m very used to how he is as a person, so it’s not hard for me, personally, to understand where he’s going with things and what he’s doing.”

Whaley said he likes working with a student director because they also understand what it’s like to be a student. 

“We still have so much academically to focus on and he understands that because he himself is a student,” Whaley said. “And I think that offers sort of a focus that the faculty kind of struggle with.”

Working with a student director allows a very collaborative take on the production, Bosely said. It makes the actors feel more comfortable with sharing their ideas with them.

“You know they’re a student and you kind of can have a student-to-student friendship with the director, as well as working with them,” Bosley said. 

Curtains will rise at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, 10 and 11; at 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov 12; and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13.

Tickets, available at SUNY Oswego’s box offices and online via tickets.oswego.edu, are free for students and cost $10 for everybody else. 

-- Written by Gabrielle Kroeger of the Class of 2023