UM-Flint Theatre & Dance Dept. Attends Region III KCACTF

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UM-Flint Theatre & Dance Dept. students attend the KCACTF in Milwaukee, WI

The week of January 6th-10th marks the Kennedy Center’s 47th Annual Region III American College Theatre Festival.

According to their website:

“Started in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the Kennedy Center’s founding chairman, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents.

Through state, regional, and national festivals, KCACTF participants celebrate the creative process, see one another’s work, and share experiences and insights within the community of theater artists. The KCACTF honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design.”

UM-Flint’s Department of Theatre & Dance is well represented as their students and faculty join others from colleges across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This year’s festival is being held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Following is a list of our accomplished department members attending the festival:

STUDENT PARTICIPANTS:
• Elisa Taylor – competing for the National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship (students are nominated for this based on their performances in main stage roles at UMF)
• Zachary Kentala
• Jessica Wilkowski – presenting regional design work (scenic design)
• Jordan Kinney
• Shelby Coleman
• Britton Paige
• Ashley Kok – presenting regional design work and prop construction for God of Carnage
• Kaitlyn Pitcher – presenting regional design work and stage management for She Loves Me 
• Michelle Hathaway – presenting regional design work and realized makeup and hair design for She Loves Me
• Amanda Velasquez
• Kendra Babcock – presenting regional design work
• Paul Docter
• Matt Coggins – competing for the National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship (students are nominated for this based on their performances in main stage roles at UMF)
• Connor Klee
• Danielle Verkennes – presenting stage management work for Ash Girl 
• Tyler Rankin – presenting regional design work
• Allison Kimber – competing for the National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship (students are nominated for this based on their performances in main stage roles at UMF)
• Dominique Hinde
• Deanna Satkowiak – presenting regional design work
• Farrell Tatum – competing for the National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship (students are nominated for this based on their performances in main stage roles at UMF)
• Alexis Harvey – modeling Ash Girl costume in Costume Parade
• Michaela Nogaj
• Shekinah Tapplin
• Justin Brown
• Seth Hart
• Kyle Clark – 1 Act play selected for presentation, In the Bloom of the Buried
• Lydia Parker – presenting regional design work
• Aaron Snider – presenting regional design work

FACULTY PARTICIPANTS:
• Stephanie Dean – presenting a session
• Bill Irwin – responding to regional student design work, judging Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition
• Lisa Borton – co-presenting a session titled “Searching for Summer Work in Theatre”
• Andrew Morton – Region III Vice Chair: New Play Program
• Adam M. Dill – responding to regional design work
• Shelby Newport – co- presenting a session titled “Searching for Summer Work in Theatre”
• Nicole Broughton – coordinator of Stage Management Fellowship

Regional Costume Parade– Costumes from Ash Girl (designed by Shelby Newport) are being presented in the Regional Costume Parade, students will model them. The costumes are one of 10 sets of costumes being presented and were chosen from over 100 entries.

 

Travel to the Region III KCACTF is one example of the ways in which our Department of Theatre & Dance students are able to take their learning and projects from the local stage to a national venue. In additional to gaining recognition for their hard work, they have the chance to earn scholarships and create important network connections that will be beneficial to their careers after graduation.

For more information on the department, visit their website. For updates and photos from the festival, follow the Theatre & Dance Department’s Facebook page.


1/8/15 – Updates from KCACTF in Milwaukee!

Two students were passed on to the Irene Ryan Semi Finals Round: Elisa Taylor with her partner Paul Docter and Allison Annadelle Kimber with her partner Britton Paige.

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Elisa Taylor, one of two students from UM-Flint who were passed on to the Irene Ryan Semi Finals Round at the KCACTF in Milwaukee, WI.
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Allison Annadelle Kimber, one of two students from UM-Flint passed on to the Irene Ryan Semi Finals Round at the KCACTF.

Three design students were passed on to the Final Round of Unrealized Design Projects: Aaron Snider (costumes), Kaitlyn Pitcher (costumes) and Jessica Wilkowski (scenic) 

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Jessica Wilkowski pictured presenting her scenic design project.

Congratulations all! Keep up the good work with more presentations today and tomorrow for Props and Makeup Design, Stage Management, 1 Act Play readings and so much more!