Staged reading of teleplay ‘SOCIOPATH’ written by Terrell T. Franklin ’25 Friday

All students, faculty, and staff are invited to the live reading of “SOCIOPATH,” a teleplay by 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) grant recipient Terrell T. Franklin ’25. Join us for the performance and popcorn at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, in the Todd Wehr Center Jockey Rooms. 

Several student actors will read this urban fantasy, pilot episodic teleplay. Over 15 of the script’s characters will come to life by performers Aydan Hughes-Massey ’26, Grace Chapa ’24, Willow Newell ’25, Christel Rivera ’26, Beth Campos ’25, AJ Motley ’26, Terrell T. Franklin ’25, and Corey Lallo Jr.

Don’t miss this action-packed tale, which unravels deeper themes of tradition vs. change, identity, and different sides of the moral compass. At the end of the staged reading, feedback cards will be provided, so you can share your thoughts with the screenwriter.

The event is free and open to the public.

SURE at Carthage offers students in all majors the opportunity to engage in collaborative full-time research with professors. Students work closely with faculty mentors on a new or developing line of research. During this summer, Terrell focused on tandem research paths. One path is industry research involving the processes of writing a pilot episode for streaming television, with the goal of creating a pitch deck for the series to present to managers, agents, and studios. The second path is creative research in which this hour-long teleplay is the culmination. Terrell’s SURE faculty mentor is Professor Jojin Van Winkle. 

Series Summary:

Thrust into a hidden conflict, Cooper houses one of the magic world’s most powerful abilities, using ancestral keepsakes to summon a magical being called a Socius. In our waking world, mages have access to ancient powers that stem from handmade, family keepsakes passed down through generations. An underground world of magic users is split into two factions battling to define how these ancient abilities are used. Who deserves to access these powers: only those chosen by their family predecessor or anyone who takes it for themselves?

Pilot Summary:

In this pilot teleplay, known as “Episode 1, Transfer Student,” college student Cooper Spiegel witnesses Dr. S’s demise before being rescued by a motley crew of IASA agents. Cooper grapples with his budding powers.

Writer Bio:

Terrell T. Franklin 25’ is a novelist, screenwriter, and director. He is an English major with a creative writing emphasis and a film and new media minor and psychology minor. He works ITA and circulations for the Hedberg Library and is a videographer and editor for Carthage’s Office of Marketing and Communications. His extracurricular activities include being a member of the Carthage Student Government, the president of the Carthage Film Association, and the chief journalist and president-elect of Centrique. Terrell is part of the Poetry Underground, WAVE Radio, and Sigma Tau Delta. In 2020, his first novel was independently published, “Other Side of the Sun: The First Planetary War on Htrae.” In fall 2024, the first installment of his prequel series, “Shadow,” will be available on Amazon.

Sponsoring Department, Office, or Organization:

Photography and Film and New Media Program, SURE Program

For more information, contact:

Jojin Van Winkle: jvanwinkle@carthage.edu, Terrell T. Franklin: tfranklin1@carthage.edu