Student playwrights

Performing Arts Living Room will be performing seven plays under the title 24:7 on May 3 at 8 p.m. and May 4 at 3 p.m. in Mclnnis Auditorium. The title represents two performances, four Eastern playwrights and a total of seven plays. While three of the plays have already been produced, the other four plays are new creations written by students taking ENG342 Advanced Writing: Playwriting, with English professor Joyce Munro.

The three directors, Liz Carlson, Jaqueline Grace Nicklas and Alycia Scarito Gargano, worked with students to ready their plays for production. The plays cover a variety of themes from marriage, family and friendship to adultery, murder and xenophobia.

The students, Rebekah Henson, Rachel Lambert, Shannon Flannery and Ben Hennesy, seized the opportunity to turn their pieces into actual stage production.

“I have no experience writing this kind of script. Getting my play performed is an entirely new experience for me,” senior Rebekah Henson said. An English writing major, Henson based her story on inspiration from her own life. “I have mixed feelings. I feel humbled, honored and excited,” she said.

“I wrote the character with a student in mind. I feel that [the student’s] body type, physical appearance and voice are well matched with my main character,” English writing major Rachel Lambert said.

Lambert is pleased to work with her director Liz Carlson. “She always makes sure that she is helping me create what I have a vision for,” she said. “It’s a good experience that helps me figure out what I need to work on as a playwright.”

“I got an idea of characters from Grosse Pointe Blank, my favorite movie,” communications major Shannon Flannery said. Her story is composed around two main characters in an elevator. She suggests her friends go to see the performance. “This is a unique experience, and it is really a special opportunity to see some new stories,” Flannery said.

It costs $5 to buy a ticket. Free coffee and snacks will be provided during intermission. The people associated with this performance have put a lot of time and effort into making it creative and are looking forward to a big audience on May 3 and 4.