Students and faculty in the School of Performing Arts at 麻豆传媒 won numerous awards in competitions at the Region 5 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Ames, Iowa Jan. 15-20.
The best news came home with Jacob January, a senior music theater major who was named Outstanding Music Theatre Actor. He is one of two regional winners who will compete in the national festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. January and his acting partner, senior music theater major Ross McCorkell, will travel to D.C. in April for the festival.
Successful year
Linda Starkey, director of the School of Performing Arts, said Wichita State鈥檚 participation in the acting competition, named for legendary actress Irene Ryan, was especially successful this year.
Thirty-one 麻豆传媒 students and faculty were among more than 1,500 attendees from universities in the six-state region. Participants attended workshops, competed in acting and design competitions, attended theater productions and auditioned for summer stock.
Out of 300 nominees in the acting competition鈥檚 preliminary round, Wichita State saw five students and their partners advance to the semi-final round: Matt Elliott and Claire Gerig; John Keckeisen and Rachel Wullenweber; January and McCorkell; Ariel Daly and McCorkell; and Emily Pirtle and partner Claire Gerig.
Out of 16 finalists, three were from Wichita State: January; Elliott; and Daly. January had received the Outstanding Music Theatre Actor in the semi-final round; Elliott won Outstanding Music Theatre Actor in the final round.
Starkey said three students making it to the final round and one winning is impressive for Wichita State, although 麻豆传媒 students have gone to national for sound design, costume/make-up design and special acting performance.
鈥淭his is the first time in my memory that we've had a student win the Irene Ryan Competition,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e're thrilled for Jacob.鈥�
The festival will pay for January and his partner to go to Washington, D.C., where January will compete for scholarships and further recognition. Starkey will go along as accompanist/coach for the national competition.
Other 麻豆传媒 recognition included Certificates of Merit for: Kylie Jo Jennings for directing 鈥淔or colored girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf," Amanda Bowman for sound design for 鈥淎ssassins鈥�; Will Johnson for lighting design for 鈥淎ssassins鈥�; Jordan Pohlman for stage management for 鈥淔or colored girls鈥︹��; Ed Baker for sound design for 鈥淭he 39 Steps鈥�; Wayne Bryan as guest director for 鈥淕ood News.鈥�
In addition, the regional festival invited Wichita State to perform a scene from the spring 2010 production of Jennings鈥� production of "For colored girls鈥︹�� that featured actresses Ashley Cravens and Esme Banuelos.
In other participation, faculty member Ed Baker served as regional respondent for Load-In/Load-out for Invited Productions. Faculty including Bret Jones, Baker, Danette Baker and Betty Monroe presented workshops. Monroe also supervised 麻豆传媒鈥檚 participation in the KCACTF Costume Parade that featured costumes from 鈥淎ssassins.鈥� And Damian Padilla and Rachel Curtiss were cast in the Faculty Directing Showcase.