The Cerritos College Department of Theatre and Associated Students will be presenting a short play festival this Thursday, Friday and Saturday and Jan. 24, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. in the Burnight Studio Theatre.

The festival will feature two one-act plays, “Line,” written by Israel Horovitz, and “Babel’s in Arms,” written by David Ives.

“Line” is the story of five people waiting in line for an unnamed event. Each of the characters wants to be first, no matter what.

Christopher Alvarado, theatre arts major and actor in “Line,” said the story is a metaphor for life. “It shows the reality of what people will do to be first in this world.”

“Babel’s in Arms” is a play about two blue-collar workers who are asked to build the tower of Babel. The story is a satire of the Biblical tale the Tower of Babel.

Gus Ruiz, theatre arts major and actor in “Babel’s in Arms,” said, “It’s helpful to know the story of Babel, but it’s not necessary. It’s still a funny show.”

Ruiz also called the show an “extravagant spectacle” that “uses words in a way not normal to today’s way of speaking.”

He said “Expect a very hilarious show that will make you laugh and think.”

Both of the plays are minimalist. Each play has only one prop. “Line” has a line drawn on the ground and “Babel’s in Arms” has a rock.

David Carreiro, Cerritos College alumnus and director of “Line,” said the play is more about actors than props.

“It’s more like an art play,” said Dave Wrathall, theatre arts major and actor in “Line.”

If the plays themselves don’t interest you, maybe the actors and directors will.

Wrathall, Alvarado and Nick Laris, three of the five actors featured in “Line,” are nominated for the Irene Ryan Award given out by the American College Theatre Festival.

Laris, theatre arts major and actor in “Line” said, “It’s ridiculous how good the cast is.”

The directors, Carreiro and Forrest Hartl, are both alumni of Cerritos College. Previous plays that Carreiro has worked on are “Anything Goes,” “Boy’s Life” and “Macbeth.” Hartl has worked on “You Can’t Take it With You” and “Three Penny Opera.”

General admission is $5. For more information about the Short Play Festival call the Theatre Arts office at (562) 467-5058.