Kathy’s Aunt Died

The Story

After earning her spot at Robin Woods College, Kathy celebrates and savors her last few months at home. Almost without warning, summer fades and move-in day arrives. Kathy and her newfound friends start the semester only to discover that campus life looks little like the tour or brochure. For every success there are humbling and daunting experiences that undermine focus and momentum. Their first six weeks on campus stand in stark contrast to the life of Kathy’s sage Aunt Rose, who now lives in South Africa and is learning to handle cheetahs.By midterms, Kathy and her friends are often in turmoil by challenges and choices. At a low point Kathy tries to get out of a midterm by claiming her aunt died, but is caught. Ultimately Kathy, her friends, and Aunt Rose have a showdown with the Dean over what led Kathy to skip the midterm. All come away very different people.

Structure and Scope

The story is told in six parts, four complete and two in progress:

1. A perspective on college 20 years after graduation (in progress)
2. Precollege life, gaining admission, tours, and final summer at home
3. A cosmic change that signals the start of college
4. Nine songs and thirty-five minutes of music that capture the ups and downs of the first semester
5. A breakdown halfway through semester one
6. Revelations about college learning and life that redefine students and education (in progress)

Clips of 18 songs (covering parts two through five) deliver a strong sense of the music and story. My esteemed musical collaborators are listed below the clips.