News at St. Catherine's
Penny Penniston ‘88
Playwright, Screenwriter and Freelance Writer
Penny’s play "now then again" had its world premiere in Chicago in 2000. It won Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Citation for "Best New Work," and was published by Broadway Play Publishing. In 2005, a screenplay adaptation, titled "Love is Brilliant" won the Sloan award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Other stage plays include "The Roaring Girl," an adaptation of the 1611 comedy by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker, and "Spin" which will have its world premiere in April of 2010 at Theater Wit in Chicago.
As a copywriter, Penny has written national radio, television and print advertising for clients such as Hardee's, Red Lobster, Metamucil, Clearasil, Huffy Bicycles, Ameritech and Hoover. She has done corporate communications projects for clients such as The League of Chicago Theaters, The Lab School of Chicago and The Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University Hospitals.
From 2002-2007, Penny taught Playwriting in the Theater Department of Northwestern University. Her book "Talk the Talk: A Dialogue Workshop for Scriptwriters" will be published next March by Michael Wiese Productions.
Penny’s play "now then again" had its world premiere in Chicago in 2000. It won Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Citation for "Best New Work," and was published by Broadway Play Publishing. In 2005, a screenplay adaptation, titled "Love is Brilliant" won the Sloan award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Other stage plays include "The Roaring Girl," an adaptation of the 1611 comedy by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker, and "Spin" which will have its world premiere in April of 2010 at Theater Wit in Chicago.
As a copywriter, Penny has written national radio, television and print advertising for clients such as Hardee's, Red Lobster, Metamucil, Clearasil, Huffy Bicycles, Ameritech and Hoover. She has done corporate communications projects for clients such as The League of Chicago Theaters, The Lab School of Chicago and The Department of Internal Medicine at Rush University Hospitals.
From 2002-2007, Penny taught Playwriting in the Theater Department of Northwestern University. Her book "Talk the Talk: A Dialogue Workshop for Scriptwriters" will be published next March by Michael Wiese Productions.
How did St. Catherine’s prepare you for your career?
The most important lesson St. Catherine's taught me was how to be a student. As a writer, I am constantly jumping into worlds and subjects that I know nothing about. I wrote a stage play set at a high-energy physics lab and another set at the 1939 World's Fair. I have done copywriting projects for all sorts of different companies. I learned about the bike manufacturing business while writing advertising for Huffy. I learned about the fast-food business while writing advertising for Hardee's. And I learned more than I ever wanted to know about laxatives while writing advertising for Metamucil. St. Catherine's taught me basic research skills, but more importantly, the school taught me to have an inquiring and curious mind. It taught me to jump fearlessly into new subjects and to articulate the relevant, interesting, challenging or thought-provoking aspect of my discoveries. I would never be able to do my job without that education.
What classes/teachers had the biggest impact?
I took a political philosophy class with Mr. Trumbo during my senior year. We read Plato, Aristotle- all the great philosophers. There was something life-changing about that experience. I also loved creative writing with Mr. Kannemeyer, English with Mrs. Bishop and American History with Mrs. Howells. And Ampersand- along with Maury and Patty- gave me a passion for theater.
How did St. Catherine’s shape who you are today?
I can tell you exactly where I was when I decided what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. It was my junior year, it was 10 p.m. and I was sitting in the lounge on Bacot 3. I had just finished watching an episode of "Moonlighting" (I was a big Bruce Willis fan) and I thought, "I want to do that. I want to write scripts." I ended up doing theater rather than television, but that decision made on that night set the trajectory of my life. It propelled me to Northwestern University, where I met my husband, who encouraged me to write stage plays and with whom I now have two daughters. I can trace my entire current existence back to one night on Bacot 3.
What is your fondest memory of the school?
My favorite memories were made on the boarding halls between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. most weeknights. This was the one hour after "study hours" but before "quiet hours." We would crank up the John Prine (when Ashley Waring or Grayson Gillespie was choosing the music) or John Cougar Mellencamp (when Cammie Covington was choosing the music) or Madonna (when Meridith Rentz was choosing the music) and we'd dance. It was like a slumber party every night.
What advice would you give to current seniors?
I taught at Northwestern University for five years. It was an eye-opening experience. I was surprised at how many students saw education as a series of hoops that they were supposed to jump through. The attitude was sort of "if I take this class and that class and the other class, and I graduate with an A average in all of them, then someone will come along and reward me with a successful career and a meaningful life." But success and meaning are not things that someone else gives to you, those are things that you build yourself. So, don't just jump through hoops. Take responsibility for figuring out what you need to get out of your education, and then be proactive about building that experience for yourself.
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The most important lesson St. Catherine's taught me was how to be a student. As a writer, I am constantly jumping into worlds and subjects that I know nothing about. I wrote a stage play set at a high-energy physics lab and another set at the 1939 World's Fair. I have done copywriting projects for all sorts of different companies. I learned about the bike manufacturing business while writing advertising for Huffy. I learned about the fast-food business while writing advertising for Hardee's. And I learned more than I ever wanted to know about laxatives while writing advertising for Metamucil. St. Catherine's taught me basic research skills, but more importantly, the school taught me to have an inquiring and curious mind. It taught me to jump fearlessly into new subjects and to articulate the relevant, interesting, challenging or thought-provoking aspect of my discoveries. I would never be able to do my job without that education.
What classes/teachers had the biggest impact?
I took a political philosophy class with Mr. Trumbo during my senior year. We read Plato, Aristotle- all the great philosophers. There was something life-changing about that experience. I also loved creative writing with Mr. Kannemeyer, English with Mrs. Bishop and American History with Mrs. Howells. And Ampersand- along with Maury and Patty- gave me a passion for theater.
How did St. Catherine’s shape who you are today?
I can tell you exactly where I was when I decided what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. It was my junior year, it was 10 p.m. and I was sitting in the lounge on Bacot 3. I had just finished watching an episode of "Moonlighting" (I was a big Bruce Willis fan) and I thought, "I want to do that. I want to write scripts." I ended up doing theater rather than television, but that decision made on that night set the trajectory of my life. It propelled me to Northwestern University, where I met my husband, who encouraged me to write stage plays and with whom I now have two daughters. I can trace my entire current existence back to one night on Bacot 3.
What is your fondest memory of the school?
My favorite memories were made on the boarding halls between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. most weeknights. This was the one hour after "study hours" but before "quiet hours." We would crank up the John Prine (when Ashley Waring or Grayson Gillespie was choosing the music) or John Cougar Mellencamp (when Cammie Covington was choosing the music) or Madonna (when Meridith Rentz was choosing the music) and we'd dance. It was like a slumber party every night.
What advice would you give to current seniors?
I taught at Northwestern University for five years. It was an eye-opening experience. I was surprised at how many students saw education as a series of hoops that they were supposed to jump through. The attitude was sort of "if I take this class and that class and the other class, and I graduate with an A average in all of them, then someone will come along and reward me with a successful career and a meaningful life." But success and meaning are not things that someone else gives to you, those are things that you build yourself. So, don't just jump through hoops. Take responsibility for figuring out what you need to get out of your education, and then be proactive about building that experience for yourself.
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Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St. Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.
