Festival of Short Plays, 2017

Theatre Simpson held a national new play contest for their Festival of Short Plays 2017. The plays are fresh new-works following the Festival's theme: ethics and integrity. This year's festival consists of four thought-provoking original works: Animals by Kerri Kochanski, Occupy Avenue A by J. Gulotta, The Proposal by Max Gutmann, This Year's Model by Donna Hoke.

As a part of the Simpson College theatre major, the seniors enroll in Theatre Seminar and produce this Festival of Short Plays as their final project. This production showcases the directing, designing, and acting of the student company.

Animals takes ethics and integrity into a metaphorical world. When you are married to a hamster, your problems are never typical. But is Cathy and Harrison's relationship really all that different from any other? Occupy Avenue A explores the ideas of commitment, generation gap, and social activism by juxtaposing two wildly different ideological beings in the same bed. The Proposal follows a tale we've all seen before: the man on one knee, a restaurant full of gushing witnesses, the woman trying on the perfect ring. It may sound like a dream come true for most girls, but to Brooke, it's her worst nightmare.  This Year's Model follows a disgruntled woman's appointment with her husband's doctor after planned obsolescence does not go as planned.

These collections of works will engage the audience with interesting stories and ethical questions. Performances are in the Barnum Studio Theatre in the Blank Performing Arts Center at Simpson College in Indianola 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 7 - 8 and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 9. To reserve tickets, go online to simpson.tix.com or call the box office at 515-961-1601.