Baltimore theater company honors student playwrights

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(Dulaney Griffin/Lori Ackerman)

Lori Ackerman, Staff Writer
May 19, 2023

From internet personalities to astronauts, Dulaney hosts students who carve unique paths for themselves. Now, Dulaney is the proud home of two published playwrights. 

These playwrights are senior Peyton Kressin and junior Morghan McMearty, students in Meekah Hopkins’ Intro to Creative Writing class. They will have the honor of having their play, “The Fracturing of Natalie White,” performed at Baltimore’s Center Stage on May 20 by professional actors.

“The very first thing I did [when I got the news] was call Morghan…it was so very exciting, we were giddy. I had to tell my whole family…It felt so crazy,” Kressin said.

“The Fracturing of Natalie White” tells the story of a millennial lawyer who reevaluates her life after a visit from her past and future selves. The play is a witty mix of “A Christmas Carol” and a 2000s teen movie, combining relatable dialogue with introspective musings. 

Kressin and McMearty described the challenges of the creative process, noting the trial and error it took to shape the play into their vision.

“Making it sound really authentic took a lot of mental back-and-forth between us,” McMearty said.

A central reason that McMearty and Kressin were so successful is that they have collaborated on writing since their early childhoods. The two talked about the progression of their relationship and their growth as writers as individuals and together.

“It’s really cute to look back on because [the writing we did as kids was] really bad because we were eight or nine-years-old,” Kressin said.

The two plan to continue their collaboration, expressing that working together will always be a part of their lives. Both hope to pursue creative writing after high school.

“The most ideal place is to pitch a show together because we’ve just been coming up with these ideas for so long. I think it would be really cool to…make something officially happen together,” McMearty said.

The Griffin wishes the best of luck to Kressin and McMearty. Artists shape cultural norms and the collective imagination; the fact that Dulaney students contribute to that demonstrates the impact of young minds.