Piedmont University is well known for its fantastic theatre program and the shows it has put on, and while the professors tend to put on plays every semester, the students don’t shy away from creating their own productions. 

Every year, a few senior theatre students of the theatre honors society, Alpha Psi Omega, write, direct and put on a selection of student-produced plays called “Make Mom Proud.” It is the department’s way of letting their students take the reins and have creative freedom over what they want to do. 

Carson Letner’s production of “Dandelion” not only wowed audiences but also gave a new appreciation for the theatre arts and everything it takes to put on a show.

“Dandelion” follows Dezzy, played by Carly Jelinek, a bright spot in an otherwise bleak post-apocalyptic world. Dezzy plays the oldest sibling out of three, and their struggle to provide for them is a heavy topic throughout the play, as well as the subtle undertones of how the human race is the ultimate demise of all things good. The beginning shows Dezzy at home with Willem, played by Josh Farmer. Dezzy and Willem met during the apocalypse and have stuck together for the most part. Dezzy is thrust into an adventure to get their siblings back due to situational circumstances, and what follows is full of twists and turns, betrayal, love and loss, with an ending that leaves audiences wanting more. 

The play is roughly 50 minutes long, with a fantastic hand-built set, professional-grade lighting and immersive sound effects. The entire team behind “Dandelion” worked incredibly hard to pull this off, and it showed. Seeing everything come together was not only incredibly impressive, but it was insane to play witness to just how much goes into creating a show. 

From creating the script and set to working with actors and getting the lighting and sound perfect, it left the audience with a greater appreciation for what goes into making a show like this come to life. “Dandelion” was fantastic and a pleasure to watch. Letner has an incredibly creative mind and isn’t afraid to push boundaries in what he creates, and his future post-graduation will be one to watch. 

“Dandelion” was recorded and will be on YouTube for anybody to watch, and the subsequent installation of “Make Mom Proud” is kicking off in 2023.