Carthage’s unique theatre program: New Play Initiative

"A Clamor of Rooks" Since its debut in 2009, Carthage’s New Play Initiative has produced thirteen new plays, giving students the opportunity to write, direct, and create throughout the creative process. This unique program allows students the opportunity to work with esteemed guest playwrights and to participate in every step of the process.

“The New Play Initiative allows students to participate firsthand in creating the next canon of new plays for the 21st century and beyond. Many of the plays go on to have professional productions and are also performed at other university, community, and high school theatres across the country,” said Professor Herschel Kruger, director of the New Play Initiative.

Many previous New Play Initiative productions, such as “A Clamour of Rooks,” “The Breath of Stars,” and more, have gone on to win honors and awards at the annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Carthage’s most recent installment of the New Play Initiative, “Patience and Fortitude,” was written by esteemed playwright Arlene Hutton and directed by Mary MacDonald Kerr.

“Patience and Fortitude” “Working on the New Play Initiatives has helped me grow as an actress by allowing me to take the character development a step further. Not only am I able to create the characters from scratch, but I get to decide how the character speaks, thinks, and reacts. It can be a challenge, but having that skill can be the extra spark that gets you cast in a show,” said Rachel Skowronski ’22 (“Barb” in “Patience and Fortitude”).