Madison College Produces UWSP Student’s Play

Charly Sparks, a junior at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, wrote the play ‘Midwestern Goodbyes,’ which will be produced at Madison College from Feb. 20 through March 1. World Premiere Wisconsin, a yearlong festival that has not established a timeline yet is holding a special promotion for the play.  

Sparks is a transfer student from Madison College, but after maintaining at least a 3.5 GPA, she was selected for the college honors program, which allowed her to complete a one-on-one mentored multi semester long project.  

Sparks wrote and edited the play while working with her mentor, Karen Saari, head of the theater department at Madison College. 

A student board at Madison College selects the shows produced each year. Sparks were astonished to be picked. Sparks was unaware that “Midwestern Goodbyes” was in the running until she got the phone call that the play was being shown.  

Sparks hopes that other people get the same cathartic feeling she had while writing this.  

The play follows Sloan, a young woman who attends her own funeral and discovers her religious mother planned it.  

“I’ve worked in theater a long time,” Sparks said. “This was something I haven’t done, write something from beginning to end.”  

“Midwestern Goodbyes” explores how loss affects people emotionally and physically, depending on their relationships.  

“It’s  funny, it’s sad, it’s a good show.” said Sparks.  

Sparks went through a lot of heaviness while writing. “It’s kind of a selfish play; I wrote it for me.” Said Sparks. 

Sparks was a part of the casting process and invited to production meetings to discuss sounds, lights, and fittings to make sure the correct feeling was there.  

“I wrote it for me but knowing that it means something to others makes me feel good,” Sparks said. “It feels good to say it’s mine.”  

Sparks will be at the opening show and staying after to do a talkback with the audience to answer questions about the production.  

For more information or tickets, visit madisoncollege.edu/performing-arts  

Brianna Ankerson  

News Reporter  

Banke559@uwsp.edu