Playwrights and actors trod the boards this weekend at Midlands Tech
Tyler Ryan learns about the Midlands Tech Playwright Festival offering 5 performances in 1 night
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COLUMBIA SC (WOLO)–The Midlands Technical College Theatre 211 Class is hosting an evening of original plays at the Harbison campus theatre, with all the work written and performed by students.
All the work is written, directed, produced, and performed by students, according to Elena Martínez-Vidal, MTC’s Department Chair for Humanities. “This form of theatrical immersion by students not only gives understanding how to produce live theatre, it also gives something more,” she says.
“Studying any art, but theatre in particular, allows students to understand themselves and each other,” said Martínez-Vidal. “This allows students to expand their minds and think about life in a larger context. And since the basis of theatre is entertainment, it gives them pleasure as well.”
Playwright, Kendrick Lyles, said he used to struggle to find a channel for his creativity until he learned about the opportunity to write and produce his own works on stage. “This process has given me an outlet to focus my creative energy,” says Lyles.
The five other plays written by students for the festival are:
- “Fat Cow” by McKenna Delaney
- “Guitar Association” by Toure Greene
- “Shattered” by Kentley Washington
- “Unseen” by Ayesha Carter
- “Arnold Saves the West” by Christopher Devlin
This is the 15th Playwright Festival run by Midlands Technical College students, who have nearly 60 one-act plays published through the Library of Congress.
The Midlands Technical College Playwright Festival is November 18 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College in Irmo.
Admission for all six plays is $10, which includes refreshments after the show.
For tickets, visit: https://www.harbisontheatre.org/tickets-productions.
