February 24, 2020
Oakland University students earned a number of awards at Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), a yearly, week-long event offering college and university students from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin the chance to participate in workshops, see other departments' work, and compete for scholarship money to complete their education.
“Our students represented one of the largest contingencies in the largest region of KCACTF in the country,” said Anthony Guest, associate professor of theatre and chair of the Department of Theatre at OU. “We are proud of the consistent high caliber of talent and skill our students bring to the festival. It shows the dedication of the faculty and commitment the students have towards their craft.”
This year’s standouts include:
• Matt Carlsen, who won the National Award for Design Excellence in Costume Design for his presentation/costume design for Urinetown. He will attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Festival in Washington D.C. Carlsen also won the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Awards for Excellence in Technology and Design: Don Childs Award, which includes a one-week summer master class in a concentration of his choice.
• Abigail Elliott, who won the Focal Press/Rafael Jaen Showcase Award for her presentation/sound design for Blue Stockings. The award goes to one student at each regional festival. It came with her choice of books, to encourage her development in design.
• Out of 350 nominees for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition, four OU nominees moved on to the semi-finals: Dryden Zurawski, Alaina Whidby, Clayton Sallee and Kelsi Fay. Dryden and his partner Reggie Swoverland moved to the final round of 16 nominees.
Also at this year’s festival, the cast of the fall production of Facing Our Truth; Ten Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race and Privilege presented the play, facilitated community talks afterwards, and participated in a three-session roundtable discussion on diversity and inclusion throughout the week.
“The heads of the national and regional boards were so impressed by their work and presentation that they selected 10 of our students as members of the newly formed 16-member Region 3 Student Council,” said Kelli Crump, a lecturer at OU and director of Facing Our Truth; Ten Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race and Privilege. “Oakland University should be proud of the level of quality and professionalism exuded by these exceptional student artists. I have no doubt that they all have bright futures ahead.”
 |
Complete list of participants:
Irene Ryan Scholarship Audition Competition:
Nominated by adjudicators
Dryden Zurawski (Reggie Swoverland)**
Alaina Whidby (Robert Smedman)*
Kelsi Fay (Krissy Castalesse)*
Clayton Sallee (Emily Grossutti)*
Doran Berger (Mariah Colby)
Mitchell Hardy (Madelyn Kaplan)
Connor Rajan (Ashlyn Moran)
Sam Torres (Emily Fishman)
Mackenzie Grosse (Annika Anderson)
*Semi Finalist
** Finalist
Designers:
Matthew Carlsen** (Costumes for Seagull and Urinetown)
Abigail Elliot** (Sound for Blue Stockings)
Olivia Armstrong (Scenic for Urinetown)
** Finalist
Costume Parade:
Matthew Carlsen (Costume Designer)
Alaina Whidby
Mariah Colby
Emily Fishman
Madelyn Kaplan
Megan Andrzejewski
MTI:
Josh England**
**Finalist
Open Jar:
Josh England
Aurora Batton
Next Steps:
Sophia Cannella*
Brandon Wright*
Jalen Wilson-Nelem*
Annika Anderson*
Alaina Whidby*
*Called Back
Devised Theatre:
Dustin Cehaich
10 Minute Plays:
Brandon Wright
Mackenzie Grosse
Staged Reading:
Antonio Vettraino