North Attleboro High School recently delighted audiences with its annual One-Act Play Festival of one-act plays, a tradition where three pairs of student directors step up to lead and inspire.
Among this year’s performances was “Pretty Ghostly,” directed by seniors Elise Brouillard and Elizabeth Carley. The performances took place on Jan. 11. Both directors expressed gratitude to their adviser, Alexander Hatzberger, for his guidance throughout the process.
The play was a special collaboration for Brouillard and Carley, both seasoned performers in NAHS theater who took on directing for the first time. Brouillard not only directed, but also wrote “Pretty Ghostly.” She described the writing process as “super long,” crediting Carley for helping to refine the script.
“We worked together to edit my original draft,” Brouillard shared.
For Carley, the editing process was a highlight.
“I have a hard time writing something from scratch, but adding to her work was great,” she said. “Adding comedy and reworking jokes was really fun.”
Both Brouillard and Carley have previously acted in NAHS productions but wanted to explore directing this year. Their close friendship also motivated them to collaborate on this project.
“I love [directing] so much. I’ve loved theater since freshman year,” Brouillard said. “I do intend to major in film in college,” with plans to pursue a career as a director or screenwriter.
While Carley plans to pursue a career in nursing, she noted that theater will remain a cherished hobby.
Reflecting on what they learned from the experience, Brouillard emphasized the importance of creating a supportive environment for actors.
“It’s important to give actors breaks,” she said. “It becomes a main focus to make a fun environment for them.”
Carley remarked on how rewarding it was to encourage collaboration across roles.
“We were able to bring everyone together. It was really cool to integrate actors and tech people,” she said.
The pair shared some favorite moments from the production. For Brouillard, a standout memory was celebrating actor Maya Velazquez’s birthday with cupcakes during rehearsal. She also remembered the audience’s response to the play’s humor, particularly hearing her father laugh during perfectly delivered punchlines.
Carley fondly recalled the improv games they incorporated into rehearsals.
“It was so much fun and helped prepare them for acting, especially people who usually work backstage,” she said.
