OU students recognized at Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

The Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), which took place Jan. 11-15 at the University of Michigan-Flint, featured the work of 48 students from the Department of Theatre in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance.

At this year’s festival, OU has 10 students nominated for the festival’s Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition: Leah Wilson, Austin McCoy, Madeline Daunt, Emily Nichter, Olivia Kiefer, Juju Palmer, Anna De Valois Konno, Jaclyn Ellis, Chanelle Beach and Kennedy Vernengo. Vernengo and Beach were finalists.

Oakland was represented by four student design/production students with seven entries in theatrical design, production and management competitions:

• Colin Franz (scenic design, The Trojan Women; scenic design, Sense and Sensibility; puppet design, She Kills Monsters);

• Liv Kunkle (costume design, The Trojan Women; costume design, She Kills Monsters);

• Jaden Leverett (sound design, She Kills Monsters);

• Amanda Pordon (Stage Management, She Kills Monsters).

Sarita Alvarado was selected to direct The Bagel Man in the 10-minute play competition.

Five OU students auditioned and were cast in the 10-minute plays: Dede Gibson-Phillips, Cali Hill, Princess Beyonce Jones, Cassius Merriweather and Cosette Reece.

Two first year students, Ash Ritter and Emma Garrett, participated in Design Storm, a competition where design teams of up to six people are assembled from different schools and develop design concepts for a play over the four days of the festival.

The Celebration of Associate Productions and Costume Parade featured the cast of Oakland's production of A New Brain performing selections from the production and Liv Kunkle's costumes from She Kills Monsters modeled by Anna De Valois Konno, Aidan Phillips and Liv Kunkle.

Three years ago ACTF developed a new student council. This year's president is Oakland's Leah Wilson, who coordinated a dozen open and student-only events at this year's festival. Three OU students — Emma Garrett, Ash Ritter, and Matthew Sell, were selected to be a part of next year's student council.

Oakland University’s Finalists and Winners this year were:

Chanelle Beach

Irene Ryan Region III Selecter's Partner Award

The Irene Ryan Partner Award includes a trip to attend the National Festival at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Madeline Daunt

Music Theatre Intensive Dance Finalist

Colin Franz

Honorable Mention, Scenic Design, Sense and Sensibility

Randy Lutz Allied Design and Technology Award Recipient for Puppets, She Kills Monsters

The Allied Design and Technology Award includes a trip to present his work at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Emma Garrett

Honorable Mention, Lighting Design for The Chairs, Design Storm

Liv Kunkle

RED in DTM, She Kills Monsters

RED in DTM means Representation, Equity and Diversity in Design, Technology and Management.  It is an award given to someone who shows commitment to and promotes values of Representation, Equity and Diversity through their work in theatrical design.

Amanda Pordon

Finalist, National Stage Management Competition, She Kills Monsters

Ash Ritter

Honorable Mention, Scenic Design for The Chairs, Design Storm

Certificates of Merit were also awarded to 13 students and three acting Ensembles. These are awarded by KCACTF respondents to students whose work on adjudicated productions warrants special recognition.

This year's recipients include:

From Sense and Sensibility

Sophia Cannella, for Excellence in Dramaturgy

From Pippin

The Cast of Pippin for Excellence as an Acting Ensemble

Noah Canales, for Excellence in Acting Performance

Eli Cavaliero, for Excellence in Hair and Make-up Design

Liv Kunkle, for Excellence in Scenic Design

Eileen Brennan, for Excellence in Lighting Design

From The Trojan Women

Liv Kunkle, for Excellence in Costume Design

Colin Franz, for Excellence in Scenic Design

The Cast of The Trojan Women, for Excellence as an Acting Ensemble

From She Kills Monsters

Mason Gaida, for Excellence in Acting Performance

From A New Brain

Brady Jacot, for Excellence in Stage Management

Madeline Daunt, for Excellence in Dramaturgy

Joe Kocenda, for Excellence in Lighting Design

The Cast of A New Brain, for Excellence as an Acting Ensemble

Travis Darghali, for Excellence in Acting Performance and Leadership

Alec Diem, for Excellence in Acting Performance

Oakland faculty also presented five workshops at the festival, participated as design and technology respondents and served as advisors to OU student presenters.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Kelli Crump serves as the RED Chair (Representation, Equity and Diversity) for KCACTF Region III, and was deeply involved in the planning of this year's festival.

Distinguished Professor Karen Sheridan was the recipient of this year's KCACTF Region III Michigan Service Award.

KCACTF was started by The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in 1969 to encourage, recognize and celebrate the finest and most diverse work in university and college theatre programs; to provide opportunities to participants, to improve the quality of such theatre in the U.S. and to encourage productions of new plays, the classics revitalized or newly conceived and experimental works.

Region 3 includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin