Clare Arney (’11) always loved writing and the theatre. But it wasn’t until she took a playwriting course at Trinity Western University with Theatre Professor Lloyd Arnett, Ph.D., that she knew she wanted to pursue it as a career.
Now finishing up her Masters degree in Playwriting and Script Development at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, Arney has done her mentor proud: she recently received a first in her dissertation, the highest level one can achieve in the UK university grading system.
“The playwriting class I took [with Arnett] in my final year definitely gave me the push to go on and pursue playwriting at the Masters level,” Arney said. “I had a passion for writing but also knew I needed more training to hone my skills as a playwright.”
Because she wanted to focus on the editing side of script writing, Arney chose a program that would help her develop her voice as a writer, which allows her to pursue not only playwriting, but other forms of creative writing—such as television scripts, or novel writing—as well. “I feel as though this program has made me a well rounded writer and script editor,” she said, “and that many opportunities are now open to me because of it.”
Arney, who majored in Theatre and minored in Biblical Studies, enjoyed the four years she spent at TWU. “The theatre department is like a family,” she said. “I loved working on productions, whether it was acting, directing, stage managing, or any other role. The education I received at Trinity was so well-rounded.”
These days, Arney has a few projects underway: she wrote a short script, None of Us Will, which was chosen as a finalist in a script writing competition; she is freelance-editing a fantasy novel; and she is waiting to hear from several theatres about the full-length play she wrote over the summer.
Arney plans to spend the Christmas holidays in Canada, and return to England for her graduation and to see her play performed at The University of Lincoln’s Script In Hand Event in January.After graduation, she plans to continue writing and to pursue a career as a script editor in the United Kingdom.
“Getting my Masters at a secular university was a completely different experience,” she said. “It made me even more grateful for the time I had at Trinity, and the Christian community that supported and encouraged my spiritual growth.”
By Wendy Delamont Lees