Three former Mankato college students were recently selected to have their plays performed during the MN Short Plays Festival at the Lincoln Community Theatre in Mankato this weekend.
The Mankato playwrights, J. Alex Coe, Paul Gansen and Taylor Evan Johnson, were among those selected of the 50 entrants whose plays were reviewed by the Playwright Center in Minneapolis.
Coe's short play, "The Proper Steps to Crying," will be among eight short plays performed Friday, starting at 7 p.m. and repeated at 9 p.m.
"It's a collection of moments that lead up to a certain emotion," Coe said of his play. "In this case (the certain emotion), is crying."
Johnson's short play, "Patrick," will also be performed Friday.
Gansen's play, "Professor Confessions," will be apart of six all-ages short plays performed Saturday at 2 p.m. and repeated at 4 p.m.
"When I was planning my senior project at Bethany Lutheran College, I knew I wanted to do a writing aspect," Gansen said of his play. "The idea came from the website "Rate Your Students," an anonymous blog for college professors to rant about the trail their students put them through. From there, I wanted to take some humorous aspects of the frustrations of teachers and put them on stage."
Gansen is currently a professor of mathematics at Minnesota State.
Tickets to the festival can be purchased at Hy-Vee stores, at the door or online at the festival's website - mnshorts.tripod.com. Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under.
A full list of plays and their descriptions can be found on the festival's website.
Nate Brennan is the Reporter variety editor
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