Banana War

Arnie and his wife Debby team taught ENG 368 when I was a young punk undergrad. I took the class because I liked movies and Western didn't offer a screenwriting course. I didn't have any theater background, but I did love writing dialogue so I thought why not give it a go. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, but Arnie and Debby really believed in my work and helped me find my way into it all. I wrote some crap but they saw some talent in that crap. When I talked to Arnie about applying to grad schools, I was thinking about getting a Masters in Creative Writing. I wasn't sure about playwriting, because I also wrote stories and poetry. He said I should apply into a playwriting program. He believed I could do it. Sure enough, I did. I got accepted to Boston University, where I worked with Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott. Without Arnie and Debby's support along the way, I never would have pursued it and I don't think I'd be here today teaching ENG 368 and working on my PhD.

With that said, Western Michigan University's English Department Chair Arnold Johnston and his wife Deborah Ann Percy have a play called "Banana War" that you all should go see.

Here's the info:

Banana War, by Arnie Johnston and Deborah Ann Percy
Performs: April 13, 14, 20, 21
Directed by: Steven C. Smith
What happens when you vacation in a civil-war-ridden country and wake up in a jail cell? This tale of two women shows how strong, and weak, we can all be.

Night plays start at 11pm and last about an hour.

Tickets are available at the door for $5.

Complimentary coffee and donuts at every performance.

Also check out this recent article:
Kalamazoo Gazette