For the last three months Lauren Piester has been immersed in theater — first the Uni fall play and then Student Productions. "Being in plays really forces you to spend a lot of time with the same people, and you end up learning a lot of things," Lauren says. "I decided to spend this column imparting some theater wisdom to all of you."

StudProd 2007 had its final performance Saturday night. With that, senior Carl Zielinski's first foray into acting also came to an end. In this last of our StudProd diary entries, Carl shares his thoughts on that experience and other matters, including unexpected colds, ice-paved roads, and the importance of Jimmy John's.

[UPDATED] Friday was StudProd opening night, and the experience was a revelation for writer-director Lauren Piester: "When it was over, I almost stepped on people trying to get backstage, 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." Read on for more.

Whether it was nerves or something else, writer-director Kumars Salehi wasn't feeling very well earlier today. That's surprising, since the preparation for his StudProd play, "Run to the Sun: A Concise Vignette," has gone swimmingly — especially compared to his experience at filmmaking camp last summer.

The headline you see above is shamelessly stolen from the program of this year's Student Productions, also known as "The Brunhilda Chronicles." If none of this makes any sense, come to StudProd tonight or Saturday and all will be explained. Trust us, you'll love it — or, more specifically, trust Katherine Allen, who is your guide to Uni's annual showcase of student theatrical talent. Tickets cost $4 for students, senior citizens, and faculty, and $5 for everyone else.

[UPDATED] Ever wonder how Uni's annual showcase of student theatrical talent gets done in time? Michelle Gao is still wondering — and she's one of the actors who will be performing when Student Productions begin 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the North Attic Playhouse. This week the OG will present a backstage look at the making of StudProd 2007. In today's entry Michelle, who plays Julie in Lauren Piester's "My Parents Think I'm Perfect," writes about line memorization and a trip to Target.

[UPDATED] Uni's annual showcase of student-written and -directed plays will be performed 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the North Attic Playhouse. This week the OG will present a backstage look at the making of StudProd 2007, with contributions from two of the writer-directors and three of the cast members. First up: sophomore Anna Gooler, who plays Mom in Lauren Piester's play, "My Parents Think I'm Perfect."

How do Uni actors get ready for a big production? It's not all about rehearsing after school. Five members of this year's fall play spent 19 hours at TALENT, a thespian leadership conference at Unity High School. They're hoping the time they spent there will pay off when "The Diary of Anne Frank" debuts Thursday night at 7 in the North Attic Playhouse.

When rehearsals begin, things get interesting. Check out these pictures from the rehearsals of Uni's 2007 fall play, "The Diary of Anne Frank." The play, directed by fine arts teacher Barbara Ridenour, is scheduled to run Nov. 1, 2, and 3 in the North Attic Playhouse. The first showing, on a Thursday, will begin at 7 p.m., while the Friday and Saturday showings will start at 7:30.

This year, after some lighter fare in 2006-07, Uni High's theater program will try its hand at a more serious play when students perform "The Diary of Anne Frank." The play is directed by Barbara Ridenour and will run Nov. 1, 2, and 3 in the North Attic Playhouse. Rehearsals are in full swing, and Sarah Pfander brings us up to date with what's going on behind the scenes.

"The Diary of Anne Frank" has been selected as this year's fall play. Interested in joining the cast? Auditions will be held Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the North Attic. A copy of the script is on reserve in the library. Like most Uni fall plays, the cast will be relatively small: There are roles for five men, five women, and three extras.