The Student Writer’s Showcase gave 11 writers the opportunity to share their creative side while the audience shared their applause and laughter.
When it was sophomore English major David Brasher’s turn, he approached the front of the room while apologizing for his sweating and shaking. Brasher was thrilled to see so many people come to support the performers, but was not so thrilled about his nervous pit stains.
He soon had the audience laughing at his narrative about a hunting experience gone wrong.
“I was partially inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden’ and partially inspired by my grandfather who passed away in 2005,” Brasher said. “I want everyone to enjoy the written word as much as myself and I was hoping I could shove a story down the throats of my fellow peers.”
Senior modern languages major and president of the English Studies Society Makeva Armant put up flyers a month ago to advertise that writers could send their work to the society’s adviser Meredith Mckinnie to participate in the Student Writer’s Showcase. It was open to all who wished to perform and most of the performers were not even members of the English Studies Society.
Armant believes that the showcase was a big success and that the audience seemed to really enjoy themselves.
Sophomore business managing major Trad Tullier was caught off guard by some of the content such as in Benjamin Evans’ ‘The Absurdity of Decorative Soap.’
“When he said he wanted to masturbate with the decorative soap that kind of got me,” Tullier said. “There was an f-bomb dropped a couple of times. I wasn’t really expecting it, but I was okay with it. I would hope they have a microphone the next time I go.”
McKinnie started the Student Writer’s Showcase when she took over the English Studies Society in 2010. She believes that these types of events really encourage students because it gives them somewhere positive to present their works to an audience.
“The stage presence blew me away,” Mckinnie said. “I enjoyed the crowd reactions because I think the subject matter of the stories surprised them. And I think that was good.”
