On Wednesday, April 10, three Elizabethtown College students were honored at the Millersville Annual Ten-Minute Playwriting Competition for writing original short plays. Sophomore Kaitlin Koons received first place in the playwriting competition, senior Jenell Abram took second and junior Andrew Herm came in third.
“I think it’s validating to be able to see that someone has read your work and responded to it to the point where they think it is deserving of any type of performance,” Herm stated. “It was ultimately gratifying and exciting.”
The annual competition, which invites all applicants, not only students, living in Lancaster County, consisted of publicly staged readings, which consists of few costumes, sets and memorized lines, of each student’s ten-minute play. Each of the three Etown students wrote their award-winning plays in the College’s TH240 playwriting course with Dr. John Rohrkemper, associate professor of English. In addition, each of their submitted plays was the result of the course’s first assignment of the semester.
“I’m always creating characters, but to have my original play featured in a staged reading and be able see those characters actually come to life in front of me was an amazing experience,” Abram said. “I also enjoyed seeing how the Millersville drama department interpreted my work since, I was completely hands-off as they were rehearsing and preparing for the reading. Although I was happy to win second place, it made me even happier to know that two of my fellow Etown writers won 1st and 3rd. I was in class with both of them as we were all working on these plays, and it was very cool to see all three plays go the whole way from an original idea to a performance.”
Koons’ play was titled “The Blue Wire,” Abram’s was called “Noah’s Bus” and Herm’s was “Born Again Virgin Mother.” Etown students have also made award-winning appearances at this competition in the past as both winners and honorable mentions.
“[Our plays’ acknowledgment] speaks to the quality of the professor and the course,” Herm said. “What is being taught is obviously working and it speaks volumes of the students at Etown and what they’re capable of.”