The Student Theatre Association (STA) hosted its annual Fright Fest performance on Oct. 23 in Indiana State University's New Theatre, offering students, staff, and the wider community an opportunity to see student-driven theatrical talent, as ISU Student Media reported. The Halloween-themed event, co-hosted by the Department of Theater, showcased student writers, directors, and actors in short skits designed to celebrate the spooky season. The show was free for students and successfully filled the seats in the audience, highlighting the community's engagement with campus arts.
This year's Fright Fest featured the central theme of "Obsession" and included four distinct pieces. The performances provided an important platform for students to demonstrate their creative and technical skills in a live setting, contributing to the vibrant cultural life on the Indiana State University campus and throughout Terre Haute.
The first production, titled “The Bargain,” was written by Kathryn Funkhouser and directed by Koryn Gooch. This skit followed two demonic characters tasked with escorting the main protagonist to hell. One of the demons, portrayed as insecure, engaged the protagonist in conversation. The protagonist, described as a super fan of the supernatural, ran a website dedicated to this insecure demon. Ultimately, the protagonist was spared from her fate, as the insecure demon was flattered by the online adoration.
Following "The Bargain" was the second piece, “Hey, Lost Boy!” written by Katie Olehy and also directed by Koryn Gooch. This skit drew inspiration from the "Peter Pan girl" phenomenon on TikTok, which features a highly dedicated fan of the Peter Pan character at Disney World. The performance depicted two actors portraying Wendy and Peter Pan from Disney, alongside an obsessed fan girl of the Peter Pan character. The skit concluded with the fan girl forcibly removing Peter Pan, leaving Wendy alone on the stage.
The third presentation, “Perfection,” was penned by Larissa Coonce and directed by Sophia Morse. This story centered on Cassandra, a character grappling with the recent loss of her sister. In her coping mechanism, Cassandra intensely focused on her academic studies and professional work, which led her to neglect her personal health. As the narrative unfolded, Cassandra's living space progressively became dirtier. Her parents and friends repeatedly offered their assistance, but Cassandra consistently declined their help. The skit reached its climax when Cassandra’s deceased sister appeared to her, revealing that Cassandra herself had died, just like her sister. The piece concluded with Cassandra’s family clearing out her room, and Cassandra learning that the pursuit of perfection was not the ultimate measure of importance.
The fourth and final piece of the evening was titled “What the H - E Double Hockey Styx,” written by Addison Roop and directed by Olivia Medina. This skit explored a chilling premise where hockey players began to disappear and were murdered by zealous super fans following a lost game. The main protagonist of the skit had recently experienced the loss of a teammate to one of these aggressive super fans. Throughout the performance, this protagonist found himself stalked by another such fan. The skit concluded when the fan successfully apprehended the protagonist, with the implication that the fan then killed him as well.
Fright Fest was noted as a success, with the New Theatre’s audience seats reportedly full. The event serves as a valuable platform for student directors, writers, and actors to showcase their talents and contribute to the community's celebration of the spooky season. The Student Theatre Association can be found on Instagram under the username @isustudenttheatre for those interested in their future productions and activities.
