The Renegade Shakespeare Company hosted a festival on Friday and Saturday, featuring the compositions of six undergrad playwrights at Gallery N. The festival presented the written works by a host of University theatre students: Tim Rouse II, Jessica Higgins, Peter Brooks Lazar, Christine Baniewicz, Annemarie Stasssi and Ann E. Harris. About three weeks ago the company instructed the playwrights to create their own 10-minute one-acts.
The writing process took three days, and the playwrights then casted their   productions and began rehearsing. Each one-act practiced individually for two weeks. The acts then came together on Wednesday for a tech rehearsal.  The performance written and directed by Jessica Higgins, “Hooker Heel,” starred Sarah Babin, Lauren Stotts and Justin Huff. The play told the story of an ex-porn star who recently left the business to pursue her dream of becoming the “perfect” mother.This was Higgins’  first-performed piece.
“I got more nervous watching my own works be performed than I ever did acting,” Higgins said. “I’m proud of them.”Higgins said once she handed her piece to the actors, it was no longer hers to adjust. She said the actors would add their own mannerisms, which she thought was helpful to the delivery of the piece.
The Renegade Shakespeare Company is completely student operated. Kellie Anae, assistant artistic director of the company and junior theatre student, said participating in the troupe allows students to explore outside realms of their performing.–
Contact Lindsay Nunez at [email protected]