Emmett Spaw’s “Three Shot” debuts in Owensboro’s Comedy Crawl
Emmett Spaw, K-State theater student, is becoming quite the prolific playwright. A play born from boredom during a high school debate tournament reached theatrical success in Kentucky.
“I was stuck at a debate tournament for eight hours and wrote an entire play out of sheer boredom,” Spaw said. “I kept the idea in my back pocket and decided to submit ‘Three Shot’ for consideration.”
“Three Shot” follows a cowboy with a troubled past who adopts a new lifestyle after wandering into a bar. The characters are all portrayed with hilariously thick country accents.
The play was produced by the Theatre Workshop of Owensboro during its “Comedy Crawl, It’s T.W.O. Funny” event.
“It’s the soapiest, goofiest short play I’ve written,” Spaw said. “This was the first time a company approached me. I submitted ‘Three Shot’ a year ago and got rejected, but recently, their director asked if I’d publish it now.”
Performed at Brasher’s Little Nashville, “Three Shot” included a signature drink — the Salted Caramel Whiskey Sour. Spaw also received a royalty payment for the performance.
“I owe a lot to the K-State theater program,” Spaw said. “The faculty, especially Shannon Skelton and David Mackay, have been instrumental in helping me grow as a writer and navigate the publishing process.”
Spaw has gained more recognition for his writing. His play “Clean” was part of New Jersey’s The Theatre Project “Think Fast,” where Spaw was recognized as Best Director for his work. Spaw’s work has also been performed at festivals in Iowa and Arizona.
Scholarships and support for students like Spaw can help them hone their skills and gain real-world experience, leading to outstanding achievements and spectacular performances.
Written by: Lilly Majors
Curated from
Original play by K-State student produced in Kentucky – Kansas State Collegian (kstatecollegian.com)
