Student Blog: From Michigan to Madison

When deciding what to commit myself to in the final semester of my undergraduate education, I couldn’t help but ask myself what boxes had previously gone unchecked in my hypothetical co-curricular college bucket list. The answer? Conferences. 

In early January, I had the pleasure of attending the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region 3 Conference, the Midwestern division of the Kennedy Center’s educational initiative dedicated to celebrating early career theatre practitioners. At KCACTF Region 3, I participated in two events – the Dramaturgy competition and the Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy’s intensive. This hands-on opportunity to present my dramaturgical achievements and workshop my theatre criticism was an experience I didn’t know I had been missing until my week-long stay in charming Madison, Wisconsin came to an end.  

It’s easy to get caught up in the bubble of one’s college ecosystem: especially in a tight-knit theatre department like the one I’m a part of at the University of Michigan. Engaging in this regional conference opened up my mindset, introducing me to other artists and aspiring theatre practitioners with approaches of their own. Not only did I learn from the experienced respondents who were judging and moderating both of the competitions I took part in, but I also learned from the intelligence of my fellow students – even though we only knew each other for a week. It’s amazing what the perspectives of other young artists triggered in me. I emerged from KCACTF with a newfound appreciation for my own work and ideas of how I can expand my artistic and analytical prowess from my week-long peers. 

In addition to the new perspectives I emerged with after a week of involvement at KCACTF Region 3, I also gained recognition in both of the competitions I participated in. For the Institute of Theatre Journalism and Advocacy’s competition, I was deemed the 1st Runner Up for KCACTF Region III. While my ITJA experience ended with the conference, my career in theatre journalism and criticism is only beginning. Regarding the Dramaturgy competition, I received the honor of being named the KCACTF/LMDA National Dramaturgy Fellowship Nominee. This honor puts me in the running for participation at the national Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in April. Although only four out of eight dramaturgy nominees are selected to head to the national festival, I feel incredibly grateful to even be considered. As explored in my previous articles, my journey with dramaturgy has gone through bumps, and I’m thankful that my undergraduate experience with this art form even garnered a little bit of recognition in the first place. 

Next month, I’ll be putting on my academic hat and presenting at the Women’s Perspectives in Arts Administration conference with a friend and collaborator, aiming to explore the relationship between gender socialization and female leadership in undergraduate artistic spaces. While this conference is immensely different from the work I was doing at KCACTF, I’m excited for another opportunity to share my passion for this industry and meet a new group of incredible arts practitioners in a different setting.