Though many think acting on stage in a high school theater production can be nerve-racking, being the assistant director for a high school theater production can be even more daunting. Despite the potential fear and anxiety, senior Amber Kischer will be co-directing the Westside theater department’s take on 11 Variations on Friar John’s Failure, originally by Yuri Baranovsky.

Kischer’s close involvement in the play began when she approached theater director Jeremy Stoll about wanting to be more involved in the Theater 3 class’s next play. Her schedule was not flexible enough to take the actual class. Instead, Kischer used her open mods to meet with Stoll and make up for the mods missed. During these mods they went over rehearsals, the focus of the play and planned ahead.

When Kischer dropped a class, she was open enough to attend both the Theater 3 class times as well as the rehearsals.

“I was way to busy — too many A.P. classes — especially to be devoting time to assistant-directing a show,” Kischer said.

Kischer is not the only Westside student who has helped direct a play. Two years ago Westside alums Dana Cassling, Alex Glow and Luke Murphree all directed one-acts during A Night of Absurd Acts.

Kischer’s take on the one act, 11 Variations on Friar John’s Failure, will be performed at the theater NSAA competitions this winter. They ended up choosing the short 11 Variations play because the NSAA has a 30 minute time constraint for one-act plays. The play has a script with a large ensemble cast to allow for theater students of all levels to participate.

“[It] really makes the show come alive,” Kischer said.