Local Playwright Wins Ruth Hunt Radio Play Contest with "The Sweet Life"

Cat Rhoden Goguen, Founder and Artistic Director of Tri-County Mystery Meets, has been named the winner of the prestigious Ruth Hunt Radio Play Contest with her original play The Sweet Life. The play brings to life the story of Ruth Hunt, founder of Ruth Hunt Candies in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, through layered voices, parlor-room banter, and a rich soundscape that captures both the humor and the struggles of women entrepreneurs in the early 20th century. The Sweet Life blends nostalgia with resilience, ending with an original jingle written by Rhoden Goguen that celebrates legacy, family, and memory. Judges praised the script for its creativity, emotional resonance, and “radio-perfect” design, ultimately awarding it the top honor.

“This play is about more than candy,” said Rhoden Goguen. “It’s about women supporting one another, about small-town voices echoing into history, and about how something as sweet as a piece of cream candy can carry a legacy forward.”

Tri-County Mystery Meets, the immersive dinner-theatre troupe Rhoden Goguen founded, continues to develop original works rooted in Appalachian history, resilience, and community storytelling. The Sweet Life adds to a growing body of work that has brought local stories to state and national stages.

Goguen, along with her team, will be getting together at Black Street Pizza at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1st, with Ruth Hunt Candy available.