Crystal gets some Graffiti

What’s a drama student to do when there aren’t enough roles to go around? Write your own plays, of course!

The Stage Graffiti Festival, the brainchild of a group of University of Montana drama students, brings splashy colors and wildly imaginative plays to the Crystal Theatre tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m.

“Each performance has an intensity and a color it reflects on the audience,” said festival producer Hass Ghaddar. “The audience will definitely know how new it is.”

The plays, selected from a pool of submissions, were written mostly by UM students and graduates. They range from comedies to dramas, and at times can be edgy and objectionable.

“There’s one or two instances where people may just walk out of the theatre. It’s like a roller coaster,” said Ben Herak, an actor in the play he dubbed “the offensive one.”

Thirty actors and actresses will take the stage during the festival, which has been in the works for seven weeks. Playwright Roger Hedden described it as “do-it-yourself theater,” citing his quirky play, “Deep in the Hole.”

“It’s really just about people in their mid-twenties sitting around drinking and talking about nothing,” he said. “Who would ever believe that?”

Writer and director Andrew Rizzo’s “Fellatrix Re-Loaded,” about the potentially disgusting birth of an elephant, also promises not to disappoint.

The recent closure of 515 Restaurant caused some confusion as to whether the Crystal Theatre would remain open, but the festival will go on as planned.

“We were kind of worried that people wouldn’t know the shows were still going on,” Ghaddar said. “But we almost had a sold-out crowd Wednesday night.”

For the time being, the Crystal will continue hosting scheduled plays and musical performances.

Tickets for Stage Graffiti are $5 at the door, $8 for couples, and $8 for both nights.