The chatter and backstage rumblings of student theater welcomed me as I entered Stage III, in Georgetown University’s Poulton Hall, to attend the 40th Donn B. Murphy One-Acts Festival, produced by the university’s Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society.
An entirely student-run organization, the Society is the nation’s longest-running collegiate theater group, currently celebrating its 174th season in the heart of our district.
Black box theaters bring back the fondest memories for the eternal theater kid in me. Within the dark and inviting space of Stage III, the Murphy One-Acts Festival showcases original works written, directed, and performed by Georgetown students.
Though wildly different in tone and scale, the festival’s three works (in order No-Fly Zone, Saint Skye, and The Heir) examine how people respond to moments of fracture — when systems exclude, friendships strain, and power becomes something to be seized or survived.
While the subject matter is heavy, each director approaches this shared preoccupation with belonging through distinct tonal choices, allowing sharp dialogue, humor, and staging to give these ideas emotional clarity and resonance.
First to take the stage is No-Fly Zone, written by Eileen Miller and directed by Elle Marinello. A satirical examination of resentment, exclusion, and manipulative messaging, the play unfolds in an allegorical world where some are granted the ability to fly while others are left on the ground.
I found the play’s writing to be particularly relevant to modern culture’s growing obsession with technology, call-out culture, and power plays. Miller’s storyline is sharply written, giving each character a clear emotional stake.
Marinello’s direction allows the cast and setting to fully take advantage of the space, with tensions unfolding in a dramatic and well-timed manner.
At the heart of the story is Ava, a well-natured flying-capable woman played by Claire Cable, and Carson, her boyfriend, who slowly begins to resent his position as a non-flyer, played by Charles White. Both actors share an intimate yet impactful chemistry, skillfully bouncing off one another as their characters’ relationship begins to shift drastically.
As Carson feels more excluded due to his inability to fly, he joins an intense and dark internet community, à la Discord chats and conspiracy YouTubers. There, we are introduced to anti-flying sentiment through the role of No Fly Zone members #1 and #2, played respectively by Rishu Nevatia and Massimo D’Onofrio.
Both young men delivered standout featured performances as they fully encompassed the spewing hatred and loud sensationalism that are often at the root of hate groups and cancel culture as a whole. They both command the stage and dutifully help carry the show’s pacing forward.
As the plays take place over various settings, all production and stage crew members made scene transitions smooth and quick, allowing for No-Fly Zone to reach its climactic ending.
Additionally, as with the other two one-acts, Brooke Bergin‘s lighting design contributes significantly to the play’s narrative. Bergin’s lighting ups the stakes with dynamic lighting cues that ultimately leave the audience on the edge of their seats.
Next is Saint Skye, a gentler comedy set in a charming college bedroom, where bookish and party-crazed students seek refuge from unrequited love, relentless partying, and looming life changes.
While lighter in tone, Saint Skye, written and directed by Anastasia Kelly, still pulses with the angst and radiance that define the complications of young adulthood.
Ruby Gilmore anchors the role of the titular goody-two-shoes, portraying a smart and witty upperclassman who finds herself at the center of her friend group’s chaos during a rowdy night of college partying. Her quiet evening is upended by her roommate Lucie, played by Maya Dow, whose charisma, desire, and mystery loom large, particularly through Skye’s eyes.
As the night unfolds, the two find themselves locked in a confrontation about the future, where choices are made, feelings are both spoken and withheld, and the weight of impending change becomes impossible to ignore.
Gilmore and Dow have a great connection on stage, looking comfortable with one another as they navigate escalating tension and curiosity.
Their conversations are chaotically and adorable interrupted by their eclectic group of friends, each carrying their own anxieties and emotional baggage into the room.
With the smallest cast in the festival, Saint Skye’s ensemble truly makes the stage their own in this tender, emotionally charged story.
Kelly’s writing captures the quiet angst of young love and unspoken understanding with sensitivity and restraint. Kelly’s dialogue feels natural yet impassioned, grounded in a shared awareness of longing and care. The plot sustains a sincere sense of connection, thoughtfully portraying relationships that feel both platonic and romantic.
While Saint Skye is not Kelly’s first play as a writer, it marks an impressive debut as a director. Her staging and tonal choices elevate the material, highlighting the emotional nuance of the script and allowing the work’s intimacy to fully resonate.
Among the standouts are Ezri Rohatgi’s delightfully silly Elsie and Charlotte Hibbert’s Scottie, both of whom exhibit sharp comedic timing as well-meaning but chaotic friends caught in the midst of a messy, sparkling night.
Saint Skye is a lovely production, perfectly situated as a tonal reprieve from the dark intensity of No-Fly Zone and a comedic precursor to the even more chaotic (in the best way possible) final one-act, The Heir, written by Lucas Kirkland and directed by Marre Gaffigan.
A bawdy, Shakespeare-inspired satire that gleefully skewers the absurdities of power, politics, and legacy, The Heir mocks tradition, hypocrisy, and the theatrical performance of authority itself.
The most ambitious of the three one-acts, Kirkland’s comedic writing is an impressive feat, staying true to the period’s usage of Early Modern English.
The play’s heightened style is further amplified by three bold and commanding performances from the central lords: Grady McDonough as the Lord Chancellor, Catherine Dodd as the Lord Treasurer, and Patrick Clapsaddle as the Lord Vicar.
Each actor commits fully to the bit, wielding a confident stage presence beneath opulent costumes and striking, colorful makeup.
While the plot was occasionally difficult to follow, the program appendix provided at the beginning of the festival proved especially helpful in navigating The Heir’s densely layered world.
Gaffigan made well-calibrated directorial decisions that highlighted the play’s undercurrent of power-obsessed ambition and moral decay, while still allowing the comedy to shine through and elicit genuine laughter from the audience.
Special kudos must go to McDonough’s Lord Chancellor, who carries the plot forward with a hilarious portrayal of a wicked yet strikingly crude noble who encapsulates the play’s central satire of power and hypocrisy.
Taken together, the Donn B. Murphy One-Acts Festival offers a compelling snapshot of student voices grappling with power, belonging, and transition. As the weekend run continues, refinements to transitions and technical elements will only strengthen the overall impact.
Each piece stands confidently on its own while contributing to a thoughtfully curated evening of theater that balances ambition, humor, and emotional resonance.
The festival serves as a reminder of the vitality of student-led performance and the creative risks that can flourish within a black box space.
Kudos to Georgetown University’s Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society for fostering an environment where student-driven storytelling can take bold, imaginative, and meaningful shape.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission.
The Donn B. Murphy One-Acts Festival plays through February 15, 2025, presented by Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society performing at Georgetown University in Poulton Hall, Stage III, 1421 37th Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($10, $5 for students) are available online.
The program for The Donn B. Murphy One-Acts Festival is online here.
No-Fly Zone
Carson: Charles White
Ava: Claire Cable
Sarah: Maddie McGill
NFZ #1: Rishu Nevatia
NFZ #2: Massimo D’Onofrio
Flying Instructor: Shehryar Chaudhry
Online Friend / Talking Head / NFZ Follower: Julia Toloczko
Teacher / Guest #1 / Flyer #1: Dominic Wright
Sylvie / Guest #2 / Flyer #2: Autumn Rain
John / News Anchor / Police: Grady McDonough
Saint Skye
Skye: Ruby Gilmore
Lucie: Maya Dow
Scottie: Charlotte Hibbert
Elsie: Ezri Rohatgi
Jess: Minh Phan
Anya: Julia Toloczko
Henry: Dominic Wright
The Heir
Lord Chancellor: Grady McDonough
Lord Treasurer: Catherine Dodd
Lord Vicar: Patrick Clapsaddle
King Henricius IV: Sophie Maretz
Sir Carolus / Arthamaelos: Massimo D’Onofrio
Courtier: Maddie McGill
Knight: Julia Toloczko
Knight: Dominic Wright
DIRECTING STAFF
Director (No-Fly Zone): Elle Marinello
Assistant Director (No-Fly Zone): Maya Ortner
Director (Saint Skye): Anastasia Kelly
Assistant Director (Saint Skye): Nidhi Gowda
Director (The Heir): Marre Gaffigan
Assistant Director (The Heir): Molly Jenkins
Producer: Isabella Hill
Assistant Producer: Johnny Lin
Stage Manager: Phoebe Busanksy
Assistant Stage Manager: Toby Shu
Assistant Stage Manager: Addison Golden
Assistant Stage Manager: Ariane Barth
Technical Director: Luc Kondrat
Assistant Technical Director: Joe Intagliata
Assistant Technical Director: Jocelyn Bradford
PRODUCTION STAFF
Set Dresser: Eileen Miller
Lighting Designer: Brooke Bergin
Sound Designer: James Zaidman
Assistant Sound Designer: Annie Flatt
Props Designer: Elyse Martel
Co-Costumes Designer: Annie Howard
Co-Costumes Designer: Paloma Gomez
Assistant Costume Designer: Kavya Gounder
Hair and Makeup Designer: Alex Roberts
Assistant Hair and Makeup Designer: Manya Dyer
Publicity Director: Julia Swanson
Assistant Publicity Director: Alaina Crichton
Graphic Designer: Julia Swanson
Dramaturg: Karina Satoskar
