As another year creeps toward its end, we here at Artsweek are feeling a wee bit overwhelmed. With pre-graduation jitters comes a slew of culminating performances, exhibits and screenings that attempt – ever so boldly – to wrap years of scholarly work into a nice, entertaining package of artsy goodness. Like so many of their liberal arts counterparts, the Dramatic Arts Dept. students have gone above and beyond, bringing us eight days of original works written and performed by UCSB underclassmen. Starting this Friday and stretching on through May 27, these up-and-coming thespians bring us their version of the year’s grand finale by way of the UCSB New Plays Festival.

Boasting two alternating rosters of work by seven UCSB playwrights, the festival is being overseen by award-winning Professor Naomi Iizuka. Bill A – which features Erin Phillips’s “The Well,” Chelsea Sutton’s “The Reason Why I Lie” and David Largman Murray’s “Robots vs. Fake Robots” – will premiere at 8 p.m. on Friday in the Performing Arts Theatre. Bill B – consisting of Hank Willenbrink’s “18,” Christopher Pe