Final Act, First Step: AIC Student Writes, Performs, and Produces One-Man Play

SPRINGFIELD, MA – When American International College student Khamari Hamblin ’25 learned during his junior year that his Theater Arts major was being phased out, he had a choice: switch to another field of study or complete his degree as the final student to graduate from the program. He didn’t hesitate.

“I loved the theater and would see it through,” he said.

In line with standard teach-out procedures for academic programs, Hamblin was offered the remaining courses he needed to graduate while still enjoying a meaningful academic experience. Rather than viewing the change as a setback, he embraced it and used it as an opportunity to tell a story that is both deeply personal and widely resonant.

Hamblin’s senior project, a one-man play titled The War in Mind, will debut at AIC’s Griswold Theatre on August 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. Written, performed, and produced entirely by him, the production also marks the final performance by a student in the College’s Theater Arts program.

Although Hamblin remained enrolled in Theater Arts to complete his degree, he also took courses in AIC’s new Arts and Entertainment Management program. The classes, ranging from graphic design and arts marketing to creative writing, equipped him with new skills that supported his work on the production, including leading its promotional efforts and designing the event poster himself. He also studied talent development, even though for this project, the only talent he needed was his own.

The inspiration for The War in Mind began taking shape after Hamblin’s performance in Topdog/Underdog during his junior year.

“After that experience, I noticed less noise in my head,” he said. “It showed me that immersing myself in a character helped me quiet some demons. That led to the idea of writing a role for myself—one that told my own story.”

The narrative emerged first through poetry and prose in creative writing courses, then evolved through a student podcast focused on self-development. He continued shaping the story in a playwriting class designed specifically for him by Professor of Communications Marty Langford. Over the semester, the script underwent seven revisions before reaching its final form.

The result is a psychological and emotional journey Hamblin describes as a battle between two opposing selves.

“The War in Mind is a one-man show about two personalities of a young African American man battling against one another,” he explained. “It reflects old and new beliefs about human nature and psychological struggles.”

The character of Hugo is a poet who has withdrawn from the world following a breakdown. Cynical and resistant to change, he contrasts with Nova Heart—his extroverted alter ego—who is romantic and energetic, but insecure about his identity. Both characters seek guidance from an unseen therapist, who helps them navigate their internal conflict.

“This play comes from my point of view of what I experienced in my life,” Hamblin said. “Growing up, I was surrounded by negativity. I didn’t understand it, and I didn’t feel satisfied with myself. I always held negative memories that limited my ability to grow.”

Through writing and performing The War in Mind, Hamblin found a way to process those experiences.

“This one is me,” he said. “It’s like venting. It’s showing me who I was, and who I am now. It’s me looking at a younger version of myself and telling him, ‘We’re OK.’”

The play is raw and unfiltered—recommended for audiences 18 and older—and is staged to create an intimate experience, with audience members seated on both sides of the stage. Hamblin believes the setting will bring viewers closer to the emotion of the performance.

Throughout the creative process, he credits Assistant Dean of Student Support and Experiential Learning Frank Borrelli with keeping him on track. “He believed in me, which is why he had the hard talks with me,” Hamblin said. “He helped me believe in myself, and this is the payoff. This is a play I built from the ground up, and people will come to see what I’ve built.”

He hopes the production will resonate with others and inspire them to act on their own creative potential.

“There is so much untapped potential that people have, and they wait for that big lucky break to really show it,” he said. “If you have that potential, you should do something that defines who you are as a person, no matter how small.”

Hamblin graduated in May and is using this performance, also part of his internship requirement, as a launchpad for future work. He hopes to bring The War in Mind to other colleges and universities.

“This play is the start for me,” he said. “After this, the universe will tell me.”

And perhaps most importantly, The War in Mind has allowed him to reclaim a sense of serenity.

“Inside of me, there is no more war,” he said. “There is peace at last.”

The War in Mind will be performed over two nights, Friday, August 22, and Saturday, August 23, at 7:30 p.m. at AIC’s Griswold Theatre. The production is open to the public, ages 18 and older.