Senior musical theatre major Jacob Reece is stepping into a new role this semester — not as a performer, but as the director of Circle Mirror Transformation, the latest production from Theatre TCU.

The play, written by Annie Baker, follows a group of strangers in a small-town acting class. Through simple theatre exercises — like one‑word stories and repeated phrases — the characters reveal the weight of their everyday lives. Reece said that’s what makes the show resonate with students.

“This play for me is about community and almost finding yourself and healing with yourself,” Reece said. “We all bring so much into our classes and daily lives, and not everything is as simple as it looks.”

For Reece, the most rewarding part of directing has been working with his cast of five actors and five understudies. Together, they have explored the exercises that drive the play, rediscovering its joy while digging deep into character work.

“We’ve just had so much fun playing these games and really kind of trying to find the play,” Reece said.

Audience members will see more than theatre games — they’ll see how community shapes identity and how vulnerability can spark transformation.

Circle Mirror Transformation ran last weekend, offering students and the Fort Worth community a reminder that even the simplest games can uncover the most complex truths.