While the cast of “Something Rotten” was celebrating a successful run of performances a couple of weeks ago, senior Mac Anderson was already focused on his next project, a play he wrote and directed, “I Have Twenty Questions and Nineteen of Them Are About the Weather.”

On April 15-16, the student-written and directed play was performed at Penguin Point Productions in the Oviedo Mall. After the success of his first independent play “After The End,” which premiered last year, Anderson was motivated to write another. Every aspect of the play was student led, and students from several Seminole County high schools came to act and participate.

“About 60 people attended, which might not sound like a lot, but to me, that’s 60 people that were interested in the story I had to tell,” Anderson said.

The play follows Wes and his step-brother Matty on a road trip where their car breaks down and they are left to fend for themselves. In their time alone, they ponder several life changing questions and events, which result in several arguments, truly showing the relationship between the two. The playwright truly felt that the fruits of his labor were shown through his work.

“I hope people take away that it’s possible for students to achieve their goals with the right planning and ambition,” Anderson said.

Anderson first began writing the script in the summer of 2022, and after it received a superior rating at the Thespian District Festival, production began in February. 

“Writing this one was way different because in this case, I took all the critiques I got from the first play, and applied it on the first draft,” Anderson said.

Those that acted in the play, like cast member Celeste Pelayo, got to have some creative liberty as well, giving their characters more life and personality. Pelayo played a character named Doug, a passersby that Wes and Matty attempted to receive help from.

“I got to choose the relationship of my character, and I felt that Doug would be a dad [in the play],” Pelayo said.

The play was a success, but it did have some ups and downs. There were absent members of the cast and some difficulty in finding space to rehearse.

“It is always stressful working on a show if something goes wrong or if people can’t show up for rehearsal,” stage manager Juno Kasner said.

According to Anderson, there is “more freedom” and less reason to “worry about school restrictions” while at Penguin Point, so despite the rough times, the cast and crew found ways to enjoy the process while getting to know each other. 

“The first day of rehearsal, we played a series of improv games and it helped me get a feel for the group and helped build up a great relationship,” Pelayo said.

From its conception to its production with casting and set building, Anderson was satisfied with how everything turned out. 

“I felt so proud of both my cast and crew because we worked so hard and it showed,” Anderson said.