Alum's play reading explores 9/11 memories

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? For many Americans, this memory is as clear as the attacks that rattled our nation on that day 13 years ago. On Sept. 10 and 11, five students will explore those memories at the Virginia Repertory Theatre during a reading of "September 12th," a play by Ryan Frost, Richmond College '05.

Frost’s piece examines select University of Richmond students’ reactions to the events of 9/11, which occurred three weeks into their freshmen year. There will be a post-show talkback with professor Monika Siebert, who currently teaches a class on 9/11 literature, and professors Jennifer Nourse and John Gordon.

Frost said the script, originally written as a screenplay, was based off of his experience at Richmond. He came up with the idea for his screenplay last April when he was writing about a friend he met during his time at Richmond. Frost said while reflecting on his friendship, he wondered if they would have been friends without experiencing 9/11 together.

“All my friends from college, close friends to this day, are from those first few weeks of college,” Frost said. “In a weird way it cemented us together.”

While writing his screenplay, Frost asked fellow Richmond alumnus Adam Ferguson, RC '11, to be the producer of his play. Frost and Ferguson met in 2010 when Frost came back to the University of Richmond to shoot a film. Ferguson works at the Virginia Repertory Theatre, and decided to see if “September 12th" was something it would be interested in.

The piece is set in a dorm room at Richmond and follows a small group of freshmen in the hours after the Sept. 11 attacks.

While writing the script, Frost said he had tried to put himself in the viewpoint of an 18-year-old. “Just because something catastrophic happened, you are still who you are, and you’re still a kid,” Frost said.

Sparkman Clark, a Richmond senior involved in the staged reading, was eight years old when 9/11 occurred. She said she was interested in the mature point of view portrayed in Frost’s piece.

Like many others, Clark has a personal connection to the events of Sept. 11. “My dad used to work in the Twin Towers, and even though he was OK, it really impacted our family,” Clark said.

Ferguson acknowledged that this play could have been set in any college town. However, having it feature Richmond students further emphasizes the close-knit community.

Contact Collegian Reporter Bridget Friendly at bridget.friendly@richmond.edu