What began as a free playwriting class for Veterans in 2021 …

Before Propel New Works became a nonprofit organization in 2024, our community began as a free playwriting workshop for U.S. military veterans. Originally the workshop was intended to be a cross-listed course for Indiana University which combined Veterans with Medical Humanities students writing plays together. Course designer and facilitator Angeline Larimer decided to first offer an all-veterans 16-week course for free, in collaboration with the IDVA Outreach Program. It was a hybrid online course with writers Zooming in from around the country. Its success led to the group’s decision to continue meeting, and Theatre for Veterans was created by summer of 2022.

The IU Conscience Project connected Angeline with John Sullivan, LCSW, who participated in the writing workshops from the beginning as an embed mentor until his death in 2024. His invaluable guidance to Angeline, combined with his expertise in group & drama therapy, as well as his tremendous human decency helped build Theatre for Veterans into a supportive community. Other original workshop participants, Jason Murrey and Robert Williger, continued to support the group. A free course for Women Veterans was first offered in 2022, which introduced Sharla Stevens and Rachel Landsee.

Rachel Landsee and Angeline Larimer became co-founders of Propel New Works in July of 2024 while planning the first public staged readings for Theatre for Veterans, This nonprofit organization status gave the organization the broader range to reach more storytellers and provide adequate support.