Every two years, Westside seniors in theater direct productions for the community to see. These plays are fairly short and are not typically well known works. Last Thursday, I saw the first public showing of the plays. I have to say, however, many of plays had flaws and at times I had lost interest in them.

The first show was called The 11^th, a play that delves into the lives of teachers and students as well as parents over the events of the 9/11 attacks. There were various conflicts in this play.

One of the characters was paranoid of another woman in her plane after hearing news of the attacks. The woman she was sitting next to was suspected to be an Arab, even though she claimed to be from Hispanic descent. Teachers also show difficulty in controlling their students as well as their parents after word slipped terrorists attacked the World Trade Center.

Overall, it was not a bad play, but the ending was a bit too cringe-worthy for me. After the cast came back to bow to the audience, they placed their hands over their hearts as the song Proud to be an American played in the background.

The second play gave me very little interest, which is very disappointing to admit after watching the incredible job the actors had put into their performances. It takes place directly after the fall of Troy. Trojan Women gives us a scene where all of the Trojan female servants and their leader are in despair. One of them had a child and she took it from a Greek soldier.

At least for me, I was incredibly bored with Trojan Women, and just like it’s predecessor, it too had a corny ending where all of the actresses posed.

Express Line was in my opinion the most fun of the four plays, which makes sense because, after all, it’s a comedy! After watching a gloomy play of the tragic events of 9/11 and a dull play about Trojan women, it was refreshing to laugh. It takes place at a grocery store, focusing in on a young couple shopping for food. Things take a turn for the worst when they realize the express line only allows up to nine items, but they had two items more. This causes quite a scene for everyone else in line and eventually the police get involved.

Though Express Line has its flaws, it was smooth and funny, which is exactly what one would like to see in a comedy.

The last play, Fighting Demons, was definitely the most ambitious of the four. It takes place in a sort of limbo for characters who have many regrets and insecurities, haunted by literally invisible demons. The main character tries to set them free, while at the same time fighting his own demon due to his regret of losing his younger sister in a river. My biggest complain would be the scene where exposition is thrown at the audience from the characters and their monologues regarding their demons. Otherwise, I though it was pretty decent.

I have to applaud Westside seniors Amy Conaway, Zach Bowen, Natalie Day and Madison Hoy for their hard work as directors. They certainly gave me quite a show.