Sewanee Playwrights Tour Atlanta Theaters
Nov. 6, 2025
On Monday, Nov. 3, Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing Elyzabeth Wilder traveled with playwriting majors Jacob Novem, C’26, and Sofia Tripoli, C’26, and theatre major Ivy Francis Moore, C’26, to Atlanta to tour three of the city's professional theaters. The trip included meetings with artistic directors, dramaturgs, directors, literary managers, and a professional playwright to learn more about building a career in the theatre.
“As a playwriting major, the future can be overwhelming and unclear,” says Tripoli. “Having the opportunity to go to Atlanta and speak with professionals not only provided some comfort in terms of a future in the fine arts, but also gave me an idea on potential next steps such as internships and grad school.”
The roster of theatre professionals who met with the Sewanee students included:
- Freddie Ashley, director and artistic director of Actor’s Express
- Celise Kalke, dramaturg and managing director of Synchronicity Theatre
- Abrianna Belvadere, BOLD associate artistic producer and literary associate at the Alliance Theatre
- Kyra Rockwell, playwright
Novem and Tripoli are currently at work completing their thesis plays, which will be given a public reading in March. Moore will serve as director and dramaturg for both plays, in addition to directing the Sewanee Theatre mainstage production of The Moors this spring.
“My personal highlight from the day was learning about the apprenticeship program at Actor's Express. I really connected with the artistic and social goals of the theater, and their program stands out as one of the few in the country that offers a directing track for pre-professionals,” says Moore. “The Theatre Department has always been very supportive in fostering future careers in theatre, while also providing space and funding for me and my peers to produce our own projects—which is rare in an undergraduate program. I could not be more grateful for the time and effort my mentors like Professor Wilder have put into helping students feel prepared to jump into such a challenging career field!”
The trip was generously funded by the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund, which was established to support writers and encourage creative writing at Sewanee.
