Ethan Hankins

Junior Ethan Hankins has taken on a new challenge this year in the form of writing and directing “What’s In a Name?” along with his two close friends he has known since freshman year, Julian Saint Denis and JJ Kuznetstov. “In the past year and a half or so, we’ve grown quite close, especially since we started writing the play,” Hankins said.

The idea for the colorful pirate-noir One Act was discovered just as one would expect: on National Talk like a Pirate day. “JJ walked into the band room talking like a pirate, and I fired back with a pirate impression of my own. Eventually, the bit we were doing got so funny that we both decided to turn it into a play” Hankins said. “We picked a musical for two reasons. Mostly because Julian and I are experienced musicians and composers, but also because sea shanties were just too fun an idea for us not to include some,” Hankins said.

However, Hankins was not without his share of difficulties. “Probably the biggest challenge I faced while directing was learning how to direct. I was in a position where I had to tell people how to deliver their lines, how to move, how to make facial expressions,” Hankins said. Despite these challenges, Hankins wouldn’t have traded this experience for anything. “It’s been about the most fun I’ve ever had and it’s no small part to our brilliant cast,” Hankins said.