Hour Three: Here We Go

And we're live from the William Inge Theater in Independence, Kansas. Little clusters of students from the participating schools dot the lobby, as everyone waits to be ushered into the theater for the opening meeting. Everyone's been asked to bring a prop and an article of clothing that could be used for a costume. A swordfight breaks out. Easy, D'Artagnan.


Peter Ellenstein, the Artistic Director for the William Inge Center, gives an introduction and then invites all of the participants to come up on stage and introduce themselves. Does anyone have any special talents that the playwrights should know about? Asa Walker, from Labette County High School, can beatbox into a train whistle. ICC's Tiovan Noel takes the stage in a cowboy hat, which he sets out on the ground in front of him, announcing that he's broke and will accept donations. He is showered by nickels from the crowd.


The actors and directors are dismissed for the night, and the playwrights take the stage to consider the flotsam and jetsam on the prop table and costume rack. It's like Portobello Road. Patty Loughrey, one of the playwrights in residence at the Inge Center this semester, reminds the students that they don't have to use everything. "Make a list of what's available in your notebook," she suggests, "and then you can refer back to it when you need to."


Each of the 24 students who will be acting in the Plays have a headshot taken, and these photographs are spread out on the stage to help the playwrights decide whom they want to cast. Here, Danielle Roberts, from Labette County High School, bends down to make one of her selections.


Once the first round of casting decisions are made, the playwrights negotiate over possible trades. Two swaps are made, and then Ann Jankowski, from Wichita Collegiate, clutches the photographs of the cast she's assembled to her chest. "These are mine," she declares. "You can't have them."