Ever read a play by William Shakespeare? Seen a Stephen Spielberg film? Read a "A Great American Classic"? All of those artists had to start somewhere and needed support to create something that they had never made before.

I often feel like the luckiest person in the world to have so many incredible friends, whose talent and innovation baffle me constantly. As new artists, we need support to further our skills in our respective mediums. Advocating a fellow friend's efforts to: start a podcast, create a theatre company, improve their playwriting, start a web series and etc. is immensely important. Who knows? This might be the first play they have ever written, but because you encouraged them to keep writing they could go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

The Margin Theater

My best friend, Sami Pyne, wants to become an artistic director of a theatre company one day. She is the kind of ambitious and intelligent person that does not wait until they have graduated college to start working towards their goals. In the basement of her home during the summer of 2015 Sami started the Margin Theater, which has produced five plays so far, with two more on the horizon. I couldn't be prouder of Sami, and think her efforts to give our colleagues another venue to work on their art form is a generous and brilliant idea. From new works written by students at Shenandoah University and well known pieces like "Gidion's Knot" Ms. Pyne excels at bringing quality entertainment and awareness to all types of theatre. Please check out the Margin Theater's website at: http://www.themargintheater.com/

Oh Tru Podcast

Acting Majors at Shenandoah Conservatory: Sara Backus and Leah Harrell's new podcast "Oh Tru" explores the question "How do you #art?" by talking with friends and mentors in their community. Each episode ranges from an hour to an hour and a half long discussing things ranging from being a woman of color in the entertainment industry to how your relationship relates to your art form. I highly recommend listening to these talented, funny, and well spoken ladies. I applaud them for starting a podcast to discuss things many often are curious about, but don't often talk about. They are sure to brighten your week. Check them out on SoundCloud.

The Dream Team

Directed by Morgan McDowell and Emma Benson, this web series has the mockumentary style of "The Office" and centers around six college freshman as they navigate their ins and outs through a Conservatory Theatre program. I think that Morgan and Emma are highly effective at catering this web series to a large audience, and not just the theatre crowd. With characters who remind you of very annoying classmates, to kindhearted friends, "The Dream Team" has something that everyone will be able to connect with. Congratulations to Emma and Morgan for creating something that allows their creativity and comedy to shine. Be sure to subscribe to The Dream Team on YouTube

The Playwright's Performance

Shenandoah University's student group the Playwright's Performance was the first organization to produce something that I had written. Every Thursday night at 11 p.m., a large community of students gathers to see a student-written, student-directed, student-produced, and student-performed piece of theatre, or as we call it: Playwright's. I have never been more thankful for a group that helps foster new work. After the performance the writer, director, and performers will do a "question and answer session" with the audience, where they will be given feedback on the evening's production. Playwright's Performance has also done a multitude of play festivals ranging from "Valentines Day Playwright's," where the writer is given a haiku or something love-related to inspire their work, to "Humans of New York," when the playwright has a photograph and blurb to inspire their piece. Be sure to like them on FaceBook. Without them, a lot of student writers would not have found their talent for creating new work.

As a young artist, encouragement is one of the greatest gifts anyone can ever give me. Don't buy me a nice shirt; give me constructive criticism on my most recent short play. Don't take me out to dinner; tell me what worked and what didn't work in my most recent directing project. Unless you wanted to take me out to dinner and give me constructive criticism, then that would be ideal.

I honestly could not be more thankful to be surrounded by inventive and contemporary artists who are constantly creating their own art. I cannot wait to see how successful all of my friends are in the future with their work ethic and creativity.