[Note: This week, two writer-directors and three cast members will give us a backstage look at the making of Uni's annual Student Productions. Sophomore actress Anna Gooler began the diary on Tuesday, followed by senior actress Michelle Gao on Wednesday and writer-director Kumars Salehi on Friday. Writer-director Lauren Piester continues the diary today. Senior actor Carl Zielinski will conclude things later this weekend.]

OH. MY. GOD.

That is my initial reaction after opening night.

It was incredible.

I claimed that I wasn't nervous. Everyone was asking me, but I told them I wasn't. I felt fine. As I said to Michelle Gao, very quickly: "I'm fine, great, awesome. I'm awesome, Michelle! I'm excellent! Yes, excellent! Very excellent. Awesome …."

I trailed off as I sprinted through the stage door, frantically running around trying to make sure everything was perfect.

That ocurred at around 6 p.m., an hour and a half before the performance started, and about two and a half hours before my play would even start. I suppose that I was a little nervous. Maybe.

I listened backstage to Zoe's and Kumars' plays, listening to audience reactions. It seemed to be a very good audience.

Then, intermission came, and I got even more frantic. At lightning speed, I helped with the set, put out the pieces of paper and pencils for the classroom scene, put out cookies, made lemonade, and walked around out in the audience for a while, probably looking completely ridiculous, in order to find a place to watch.

I tried to sit in between my parents (my little brother had originally been sitting there, but he moved to the floor). Then they started being annoying, and I realized that there was no way I could sit by them. So I leaned up against the water fountain.

I am so so so so so so so so extremely proud of my cast! It was the best performance we've ever done. The audience seemed to love it, and I found things much funnier than I ever had before.

When it was over, I almost stepped on people trying to get backstage (I was far too excited to go across third floor), and then I began squealing and jumping up and down and was totally unable to contain my happiness. I know for a fact that I looked insanely foolish, but I didn't care. I was way too ecstatic to care.

I'm pretty sure that I hugged all of my cast members about five times each. I think I went a little crazy. I'm still a little crazy. My hyperness has not yet gone away.

Natsuki's play also went very well, and I quite enjoyed my cameo (in which I wore some fantastically disgusting furry boots which I discovered in the costume room, while I nibbled on a cookie).

Then it was time for curtain call, in which the other directors and I get to break it down and look totally and utterly ridiculous. It's quite fun.

I am so happy that my thoughts at the moment are all over the place. I just know that this has been one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I will never ever forget it.

STUDPROD 2007: CAST MEMBERS

"Why I Hate Your Boyfriend" Written & directed by Zoë Schein

• Clara: Sian Best
• Frances: Larissa Pittenger
• Palmer: Julian Hartman
• Bartimus: Deren Kudeki
• Alfred James (AJ): Buck Walsh

"Run to the Sun: A Concise Vignette" Written & directed by Kumars Salehi

• Narrator: Jacob Olshansky
• Waitress: Hannah Lake-Rayburn
• Bartender: Ollie Goldbart
• Flirty Woman: Laura Voitik
• Clerk: Alan Liang
• Nice Girl: Eunice How

"My Parents Think I'm Perfect" Written & directed by Lauren Piester

• Cammy: Hannah Leskosky
• Simon: Carl Zielinski
• Mom: Anna Gooler
• Dad: Jeremy Kemball
• Julie: Michelle Gao

"Can I Have That in a Sentence?" Written & directed by Natsuki Nakamura

• Megan: Diana Liu
• Serena: Brittany Scheid
• Leslie: Maria Gao
• Brandon: James Smith
• Cameo, Old Man: Alan Liang
• Serena's Mom: Jamie Weiser
• Announcer: Adam Joseph

STUDPROD 2007: BEHIND THE SCENES

• Queen of the Crew: Tianna Pittenger
• Lights: Isaure Hostetter
• Sound: Linda Song
• Lighting Design: Natsuki Nakamura & James Smith
• Crew Members: Andrew LaPointe, Maddy Levin, Stephanie Overmier, Lily Smith
• Sponsor: Barbara Ridenour
• Script Adviser: Jen Goheen
• Program: Lauren Piester & Zoë Schein

STUDPROD 2007: AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLAYS

"Why I Hate Your Boyfriend"
by Zoë Schein
Frances is best friends with Clara. Clara is dating Palmer. Frances hates Palmer. Palmer has two hilarious friends named AJ and Bart. Hilarity and cleverness ensue.

"Run to the Sun: A Concise Vignette"
by Kumars Salehi
Can you find the answer to life by drinking Sprite? Watch the play to find out!

"My Parents Think I'm Perfect"
by Lauren Piester
Cammy's got a C in math, and can feel the inevitable wrath of her parents from miles away. She and her friend Julie devise a plan to make them see that bad grades aren't really the worst thing ever.

"Can I Have That in a Sentence?"
by Natsuki Nakamura
Megan is determined to win the school spelling bee and finally beat Brandon, but things get complicated when she is too distracted by the letters to look at the whole word.