Spirit takes the form of ghosts and cheerleaders in the Cal State Fullerton Devised Performance/Physical Theatre capstone project production of “X-Out,” starting Thursday, April 9 in the Hallberg Theatre in the Clayes Performing Arts Center.
The comedic drama, written by CSUF Professor of Theatre Studies Jack Novak and directed by CSUF Devised Performance and Acting Professor Miguel Torres Cruz, follows six high school cheerleaders as they go on a camping trip to the woods and attempt to learn a dangerous stunt to impress their coach.
After utter failure to complete the stunt, a knock-down drag-out brawl ensues between the six girls. As an attempt to restore unity, the team takes place in a seance which opens the door for ghosts to progressively possess the cheerleaders.
The overarching theme of the play is unity and chosen family as the girls try to unravel the complexities of the ghosts’ stories as well as their own secrets so they can escape the forest and return back to reality.
The fourth-year students of the devised performance/physical theatre major started the play production process for their capstone project in December 2024 when they brought a loose theme of horror and comedy to Novak.
“I’m really excited for the audience to see a more current comedy that has humor that was kind of written for us,” said Priscilla Briggs, a fourth-year devised theatre major who plays Maris.
Since the play was written with the intent to equally feature the six students in the devised theatre program cohort, the entire production process was a bit atypical. Once the characters were given a name and a small arc had been lined out, the students came in to audition with the only few lines that existed at the time.
Also featured in the performance are a lot of physical moving parts and lighting effects that heavily contribute to the imagery of the play.
Cory Smith, production stage manager and fourth-year technical theatre major, has a lot to do with the success of the moving parts and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
“I take what the playwright gives and I’m making sure the actors are following that,” Smith said. “I’m taking the director’s vision and then talking to the designers and getting what he needs to bring that all to life.”
Smith also works with the actors to let them know their schedules. During the actual performance, he runs the show and is the person letting everyone know what happens and when.
At the very end of the play, a large cheer performance with extravagant stunts occurs. The piece was coached and choreographed by cheerleading coach Linda Laughrun and forced many of the students to take a step out of their comfort zones.
Lyra Paez, a fourth-year devised theatre major who plays Matilda, is one of the main flyers in the ending cheer performance.
“We all kind of came together and created this really cool number at the end, this huge cheer number,” Paez said. “I’m really proud of our work. I’m a flyer and I’m really scared of heights so I’m doing things that I’ve never thought I could ever do in my entire life.”
The production process is different from that of typical plays because of its correlation with the devised theatre program. Rather than having the director, playwright or production manager being the sole influence of the play, the cast and the ensemble helped in the creation of the project.
“A typical play is like a pyramid,” Torres Cruz said. “You have the director at the top, and then it goes down all the way down to the bottom — but the person leading is the director. This specific show, this specific program, the BFA devised program, is different in that it turns that pyramid upside down.”
The Hallberg Theatre will continue to have showings of the play until April 18.