Austin Peay State University Theater Student Prichan Murrell Lands Leading Role in New York City Showcase – Clarksville Online

Clarksville, TN – Performing in New York City always felt like an unattainable dream for theater student Prichan Murrell, but this summer it became a reality when they were chosen to star in The Farm Theater College Collaboration Project showcase of “The Ruminants.”

Murrell was cast as E.B. — a junior at Rose College in a campus animal rights group — based on her performance in APSU’s production of “The Ruminants” this spring. Written by Dipti Bramhandkar and produced by The Farm Theater in partnership with Austin Peay State University, Shenandoah University and Middle Tennessee State University, the play explores protest, privilege and legacy through a story of animal rights activism.

“The playwright and the producer from the Farm Theater came to the show and chose me based on that and the performances they saw at other schools,” Murrell said. “It made me feel really good because It was the first show I was on where the cast really got along, and it felt like a natural progression, so I was thrilled when they asked me to join.”

rehearsals.

“I played EB, and there are a lot of similarities between me and that character,” they said. “The most important thing for me was to separate myself so that I didn’t take the things that happened on stage home with me. I found myself getting very emotional at the end of every rehearsal and it affected my daily life, so I had to find some space between myself and the character.”

That experience proved valuable when Murrell traveled to New York for the showcase, which brought together students from various productions of “The Ruminants” for an all-star performance on May 20. Murrell’s trip was funded by APSU Academic Affairs and the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.

along of In addition to the performing opportunities, the trip gave Murrell the chance to immerse himself in New York’s vibrant theater scene.

Their trip to New York marked an important step in Murrell’s theatre career, But their love for the stage runs deepuh.

“I always wanted to do theater, but I was scared. The “The first time I did theater was when I went to college,” they said. “I was leaning toward being a lawyer or a psychologist, but when I actually got to college, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else but performing. I feel like that’s what I do best, and it brings my heart a lot of joy.”

Murrell originally attended Northwest Mississippi Community College, but then transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi. After taking a break from college in 2022, he found a home at Austin Peay.

“I feel like Austin Peay State University has a lot of resources, especially in the theater department…it’s given me a lot of creative outlets and I feel like I have a broader scope of what I can do. here,” they said. “A lot of the professors are current practitioners or active in the field, which gives us a lot insight, and they also have events like The Fringe where you can create your own work if you’re not in a show.”

In addition to bringing characters to life on stage, Murrell has served as show captain for several performances and assistant director for a production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at Austin Peay State University.

Their efforts earned them the College of Arts and Letters Student Leadership Award for the Department of Theatre & Dance for 2023-2024. They hope to use the leadership skills they’ve developed to work in Philadelphia or New York after graduation.

“The experience I had in New York with ‘The Ruminants’ was incredible,” they said. “Everyone was so invested in their work and so passionate, and it was nice to be around other creative people…it was very affirming and made me glad that I chose to go back into theatre because I felt like I was exactly where I belonged.”