Emma Gaines, an art major at Columbus State University, has written two one-act plays that will be performed this summer. “Sparkle the Fish! Friendship and Forgiveness: A One-Act Play for the Young, Old, and In-Between” and “The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker” will debut at Family Theatre, located at 2100 Hamilton Road, from Aug. 8-10. The performances invite audiences of all ages to enjoy a night of family-friendly fun.
“I had known that I wanted to write a show for kids about forgiveness, but wasn’t sure where to begin,” said Gaines. “In October, I checked out Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones from the library. I was impacted by how dedicated and thoughtful Jim was with his work. I think the magic of the opening scene of the muppet movie has stuck with me.”
Gaines continued, “We needed a second play, and I volunteered to write it. I was looking for something kind of classic that could make writing something quicker and have a good reference point. It’s a Mother Goose rhyme, Rub-a-dub-dub (Three Men in a Tub), and how three tradesmen were floating off in a boat. It seemed like a really funny scenario. It’s a very family-friendly, appropriate show. It’s just about three funny tradesmen, and they get into hijinks at sea and tell stories.”
Although these one-acts are geared toward a younger audience, the central theme is important for everyone to hear.
“The common theme of the two of them is friendship. I would say ‘Sparkle the Fish’ is more specifically about friendship– it’s about how to navigate friendships when you’re young and how to navigate friendships as you grow up. There’s a lot more emotional content in that. And then “Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker” is loosely about friendship, but it’s an actual, real comedy,” said Gaines.
Gaines’ artistic talent influences her writing, as she strives to create an atmosphere rather than merely tell a story, immersing all who attend one of her shows into an impactful, unforgettable experience.
“The setting of Sparkle the Fish is, of course, the idyllic mythic South,” Gaines said. “My dad originated the story, so I think his storytelling and my mom’s connection to rural Alabama shaped the tone and setting of the play. I’ve spent the last year at the Do Good Fund enjoying and learning about our collection of Southern Photography, and those images have opened my eyes to just how powerful the Southern landscape is. Sparkle’s setting leans into the storytelling tradition of the South; The indisputable timelessness but ever-changing nature of the Southern landscape seemed like the perfect backdrop for Sparkle to ponder, adventure, and grow as a person, or more accurately, as a sparkly fish.”
Although these two one-act plays are among Gaines’ first original works, she is not new to playwriting. Gaines has another one-act play titled “Let Them Be Sea Captains,” which she co-wrote with Katelyn McCormick, another CSU student. This play was performed last summer during Family Theatre’s second annual summer one-act festival and won first place in the playwriting category at the 2025 Carson McCullers Literary Awards.
More information and ticket-purchasing means will soon be made available at familytheatre.org.
