[163] MTSU Theatre Presents Students' Award-Winning Short Plays

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 26, 2009
CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919

MTSU THEATRE PRESENTS STUDENTS’ AWARD-WINNING SHORT PLAYS
MTSU Playwriting Students’ Works Hit the Stage Nov. 19-21 at Tucker Theatre

(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU Theatre will present An Evening of Short Plays, consisting of two original works created by students, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-21 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre.
Both plays are products of MTSU playwriting classes and have been under revision since February 2009. The two works were chosen as winners of the Short Play Award at the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, which was held at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in February.
Each year, about 30 plays are entered into the Short Play Competition and entrants span the 10-state Southeastern region. Six plays are chosen to receive staged readings at the festival, and from among these, two are chosen as award recipients to be presented at the regional festival the following year.
Josh Ginsburg, a Knoxville senior majoring in speech and theatre, is one of two students who will present during the evening performances. His play, Shards of Glass, is the story of two brothers dealing with the demons of their past.
“Returning to their childhood home as a result of the death of their father, Mac and Tyler come looking for some sense of closure, hoping to be able to be ‘done with this, once and for all,’” said MTSU student and playwright Ginsburg, referring to his work.
“At the heart of the play, Shards of Glass is about people, their search for love and how the ideal definition of love can lead to destruction,” he noted.
Murfreesboro senior David Bennett, a speech and theatre major, also will premier his new play, Portrait of a Mother and Son, which follows the relationship of June and Alex, mother and son.
Describing the play, he said, “With the re-introduction of Alex’s father, Gerard, into the family, we are shown the altering of the initial relationship between June and Alex, as well as Gerard’s attempt to once again gain status within the family.”
Deborah Anderson, professor speech and theatre and the students’ playwriting mentor, said, “Our two playwrights have been working me and have been presenting their revisions at a Sunday writer’s night composed of several playwriting students.
“They have revised, rewritten, and reworked both plays for several months now,” she continued, “and I think they have developed two very impressive works with all of the best elements of playwriting: conflict, climax and human interest.”
Jeff Gibson, director of MTSU Theatre, said, “The presentation of these shows and the success of these two young playwrights continue our record of accomplishment and recognition as one of the best undergraduate playwriting programs in the country.”
Further, he added, “We are committed to continuing the development of young playwrights through producing their work and fostering their growth.”
Both Ginsburg and Bennett are currently considering graduate schools to continuing their respective studies in playwriting.
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• TICKET INFO: Tickets are available in advance by calling 615-494-8810 or by visiting the Tucker Theater lobby box office between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are also available at the door prior to the performance.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for MTSU staff and K-12 students. MTSU students will receive free admission with valid ID.
For more information, please access www.mtsu.edu/theatre.



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ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with the student playwrights or MTSU Theatre faculty, or to secure review tickets, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-2919. Please not that no artwork related to this production is available at this time.









With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.