McMaster's School of the Arts is now presenting its annual Directors' Series, a festival of unique shows directed by theatre and film students in their final year of study.

The Directors' Series 2006 features eight new plays, six written by the directors themselves. From social realism to absurd comedy, from docu-drama to surreal fantasy, all 12 of the plays dynamically engage with our culture and our times, each in its own unique style.

Admission to all performances is free. Shows will be presented in the Robinson Memorial Theatre, Chester New Hall Building, Rm. 103.

The following is a list of upcoming productions:

girls! girls! girls! by Greg MacArthur. Directed by Kimberly Jewers-Dailley.

Written in response to the Columbine High School Massacre and the Reena Virk murder, girls!girls!girls! is a brutally violent exploration of what happens when emptiness becomes the norm. Following the Friday-night “antics” of four teenagers seeking revenge for a loss on a vaulting horse, MacArthur's play reveals the distorted yet human face of teenage social rebellion.

Dates: Feb. 2: 12:30 p.m., Feb. 3: 7 p.m., Feb. 4: 9 p.m.

Vladeck by Jodi Miller. Directed by Laura Brinton.

Through the eyes of the 16-year-old perpetrator we are witness to a gruesome act of murder. Using multimedia and live action, Vladeck explores issues of bullying, truth, memory, peer pressure, masculinity and celebrity.

Dates: Feb. 2: 2:30 p.m., Feb. 3: 9 p.m., Feb. 4: 7 p.m.

The Higher Learning of University Life written and directed by Adrian Kawaley-Lathan.

Using counter-conventional theatrical techniques and a multicultural cast, this new play brings you into the lives and relationships of six university students. True to life, the play presents the struggles, conflicts, successes, and failures facing young adults in a crucial time of their lives. From theory to reality, this play explores what is truly learned at university.

Dates: Feb. 9: 12:30pm, Feb. 10: 7 p.m., Feb. 11: 9 p.m.

Last Night by C.J. Keddy. Directed by Justin Leroux.

A possible one-night stand that turns out to be so much more. An intimate play that captures a moment in time as two people get to know one another on levels that are sometimes unachievable in this life. Everyone has a story to tell, and this night they share, is a night that will never be forgotten.

Dates: Feb. 10: 12:30 & 9 p.m., Feb. 11: 7 p.m.

100 by Diene Petterle, Neil Monaghan & Christopher Heimann. Directed by Shannon Bird.

If you had to pick the most important moment in your life, could you? The question is posed to four very different people, with their fate in the afterlife hanging in the balance. This is the exciting premise of 100 a play that deals with life, death and the afterlife through drama, humour and movement to create a thought provoking and fun theatrical experience.

Dates: Feb. 16: 12:30 p.m., Feb. 17: 7 p.m., Feb. 18: 9 p.m.

22 written and directed by Paul Stevens.

A fictitious reenactment of one human's (my) attempt to be honest while prone to fallacy; to find truth in a world of falsity. Believe nothing, trust no one. I am right/wrong, false/true, in/sane, meaningless/worthwhile, dying/living, …? 22.

Dates: Feb. 17: 12:30 & 9 p.m., Feb. 18: 7 p.m.

The Pursuit of Perfection written and directed by Heather Kuiper.

An innovative theatrical exploration of eating disorders and their effects on the lives of those who suffer from them. Four characters stories are intertwined with multi-media in this challenging yet charming show.

Dates: March 9: 12:30 p.m., March 10: 7 p.m., March 11: 9 p.m.

Grace is Gone by Jeff Sephton. Directed by Kelly Hemphill.

We live in a cure based society, a society that emphasizes the need to fix things, a society of science, and a society of faith in those who hold epistemic privilege. Set in a courtroom, Grace is Gone is a dramatic exploration of issues surrounding disability; how it is defined, how it is treated, and if it should be treated.

Dates: March 10: 12:30 & 9 p.m., March 11: 7 p.m.