ETSU’s student-run soap opera will debut six episodes on April 26 in the Culp Center Auditorium.
The soap, Franklin Place, is a joint project of the department of communication and the department of English created to help students in the broadcasting and performing arts areas for the skills necessary for their jobs.
Pat Cronin, theatre professor and project supervisor, said students chose to do a soap opera rather than a documentary piece because a soap would give them the opportunity to explore contemporary issues such as date rape, binge drinking and unprotected sex.
Franklin Place is set on a fictional college campus, Franklin University, and centers on several main characters and their lives as college students.
Unlike a real soap opera Franklin Place did not have a permanent set, so filming was done in many places around Johnson City. Most of the filming was on the ETSU campus as well as some scenes at the Carnegie Hotel and some private homes.
“I really want to stress that this is entirely student run,” Cronin said. “Everything from the writing, the directing, the producing, the acting and the editing is all done by students, and I am extremely proud of that.”
Franklin Place will air movie style with the six, 15-minute episodes running back to back.
Cronin said the premiere of the show would be much like a movie premiere, with the actors arriving at the showing in evening wear and walking down a red carpet.
Cronin said the time has not been set, but the event will be open to everyone and admission is free.
Call Cronin at 943-0072 for more information.

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