Homeschool students reduce prep time for ‘Anastasia’ production to 24 hours

ALBANY – So you’re a part of the Albany Area Homeschool Theater Association group that has the acting bug, and you’re going to take part in Friday’s production of “Anastasia.”

Here’s what you get to prepare for the one-off performance: Your character, a script … and nothing else.

While the usual local production takes weeks and even months of preparation – to build sets, to walk through blocking and dialogue, to rehearse, to fine-tune any perceivable issues – the students and the adult volunteers who will bring “Anastasia” to Byne Church Friday will get no such luxuries.

They are, in fact, bringing the first 24-hour play to the area.

“We get together at the church Thursday night at 7 p.m.,” Vickie Knuckles, who heads up the homeschool acting troupe, said. “And we do the play starting Friday at 7 o’clock. There are no rehearsals, no advance preparation.”

The concept of the 24-hour play is growing in popularity across the country, Knuckles said. She said the concept was brought to her by student-actors and volunteer parent team members who thought such an undertaking would be “a pretty cool idea.”

Knuckles, who directed four locally produced plays in the last calendar year – at Byne, Theatre Albany and with the homeschool group – said the more she thought about it, the better she liked the concept.

“It’s just so different,” she said. “And I thought it would be a great challenge for our students. When I brought up the idea, they liked it. And they’re really anxious to see it through, to show that they can do it.”

Knuckles outlined the plan for her budding thespians and her technical team:

– Gather at Byne at 7 p.m. Thursday for a general all-hands-on-deck meeting.

– While tech crews work on the sets, the cast starts working on their parts through the late-night and early-morning hours.

– Around breakfast time Friday, the cast will come together for rehearsals.

– Friday at 7 p.m. is showtime.

“We’ll be working all night, and we have almost every minute planned out,” Knuckles said. “Of course, everyone will not be working on stuff the whole time, so they’ll have opportunities to rest. But no one is leaving; no one is going home to get eight hours sleep.

“We did hold auditions and had 20 people try out. They’re all in the play, and with the technical crew, there will be about 40 involved. We simply sent out an invitation and invited all who were willing to be a part of this. Everyone seems really excited about the concept.”

In addition to current members of the homeschool association in grades 9-12, Knuckles also invited alumni of the group and other homeschool students to get involved. 

“Everybody’s been trying to kind of get their head around what we’re doing leading up to Thursday,” Knuckles said. “It usually takes six to eight weeks of pretty intense preparation to get ready for a production. We’re doing it all in 24 hours.

“I know we’re going to hit some walls along the way, but I’m hoping the adrenalyn kicks in for everyone as we get closer to time for the play. I’m excited to see what happens.”

And is there any secret to pulling off such a seemingly daunting task?

“Coffee,” Knuckles says. “Lots of coffee.”

Tickets for “Anastasia,” which are $10 for adults and $5 for children, are available online or at the door the night of the performance.