PATHWAYS: A ONE ACT
My senior year of high school, I began writing a play.
For the past four years, I have written, re-written, workshopped, and rewritten again. Finally, I proclaimed it finished. Taking a chance, I submitted it to the Agnes Scott College Writers’ Festival Creative Writing Contest.
Over break, in the middle of the Negev desert, I learned that I was a finalist in the contest.
I am so thrilled to have this play published in the Writers’ Festival magazine, as well as be judged by some amazing authors, against some amazing writers. Hopefully, I will try to chronical my experiences throughout the Writers’ Festival, here on this very blog.
What is Pathways about, you ask?
SYNOPSIS
Pathways is a one-act dramedy that discusses the question of “what happens after high school?” James, already graduated, is interested in joining the armed forces to receive an education, instead of paying substantial tuition for a school near home. However, he is in a long-term relationship with Sarah, who is about to graduate from high school and is both academically and monetarily prepared for university. With Dan and Emily, James’ and Sarah’s best friends respectively, the audience gets a glimpse of the complications that post-graduate plans create. As James joins the army and prepares for his departure, we see Sarah become desperate to make him stay, before eventually supporting him and letting him go on. The play takes place in present day, and ten years in the future, giving us insight into the lives and futures of these dynamic characters.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Pathways initially began as one scene in a show called “Mad World” for an acting class. Through that, the author developed the show one scene at a time, until she was satisfied, and submitted it to the Georgia Thespian Conference Playworks competition. After feedback, she continued to form and shape the show. It was performed for the first time at North Oconee High School, with Thomas Peck portraying James Taylor, Rachel Bolden portraying Sarah Stewart, Kelly Kraft portraying Emily Greene, and Alex Joyner portraying Dan Welles, with author Zoe Katz directing.
