Emotional acting was a standout quality at the opening night of “Waiting for Lefty” on Friday, Oct. 10, at the Cerritos College Burnight Center.

Directed by Kevin Slay and originally written by Clifford Odets in the 1930’s, “Lefty” is a politically driven play about workers going on strike during the depression in 1935 New York.

With about 80 attendees, the “Lefty” ensemble enthusiastically showcased its acting skills with choreographed fights and provocative arguments.

Psychology major Katie Padilla said, “I thought it was really good. The actors were fantastic, they did a really good job portraying each character and they really had a community. I could tell that they all worked well together and I thought it was just fantastic. Their portrayal of everything was really good.”

Karina Lopez, undecided major, also praised the cast.

“I thought the costumes looked really good; acting was really, really good. I think they (the actors) portrayed the story really well and I could really feel the emotions of the play.”

Not only did the acting receive positive feedback, but so did the behind-the-scenes work.

“I loved the lighting and especially the transitions from scene to scene. It was really awesome. Each actor portrayed (his) character really well, as well as the costuming and the sound,” theater major Carlos Martinez said, praising light designer Richard Crother, costume designer Bradley Lock; with make-up and hair done by Christine Stahl-Steinkamp and sound designer Chris Flores.

Although most of the attention went to the captivating actors, English major Michael Pfirrmann thought about the deeper meanings in the play.

“It made me think of different things, about [why] people strike and other ways to get social justice. It was very interesting to see the actors also work stagehands and it was just really fun and entertaining to watch, so I really did enjoy the play,” he said.