2013 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Honors SCCC Students

Suffolk County Community College theatre students recently were selected to receive many major awards at this year's Kennedy Center American College National Theatre Festival finals in Washington, D.C. Suffolk Theatre majors captured multiple awards in numerous areas of the theatrical discipline, including performance, design, technology, and management. The competition attracts students from colleges offering Associate, Bachelors in Fine Arts and Masters of Fine Arts programs across the nation.

Oya Bangura, a resident of Copiague, won the top prize in the prestigious Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarship competition, placing ahead of over 15 other finalists and more than 2,500 student-actors who participated in the eight regional competitions leading up to the finals. Ms. Bangura and her colleagues competed against students from institutions that included UCLA, USC and NYU. Ms. Bangura and her acting partner, Bryan Nee, performed scenes from "Macbeth" and "Desire Desire Desire," Christopher Durang's takeoff on Tennessee Williams'"Streetcar Named Desire," in the competition. Ms. Bangura plans to attend Hunter College to receive her Bachelor's Degree.

Robert Doyle, a resident of Westhampton Beach was runner-up in both the National Partners of American Theatre Costume Design and the Barbizon awards. Michael Fales, a resident of Miller Place was one of three National Distinguished Actor Award winners for his role in "The Foreigner," which the theater department performed at the festival. Also, for their work on "The Foreigner," sound designer Spencer Batho, a resident of West Babylon won a scholarship to attend an intensive program at the Stage Craft Institute of Las Vegas.

"The Ammerman Campus Theater Department in Selden holds the record for two-year schools in placing acting scholarship finalists at the Kennedy awards," said Charles Wittreich, College Director of Theatre and Academic Chair of Theatre Arts. "Additionally, my esteemed colleague Steven Lantz-Gefroh was recognized with a best coach award, as well as being a Distinguished Director of a play for his work on "The Foreigner."

"We are extremely proud of these students and their spectacular achievements," said Dr. Shaun L. McKay, President of Suffolk County Community College. "With their drive and creativity, they are destined for continued future success. I also applaud our exceptional faculty members who lead this outstanding program at the College."

Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling approximately 26,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood and Riverhead. SCCC offers the Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, as well as a variety of certificate programs. Offering affordable college tuition, a highly respected Honors program, extensive extracurricular activities, championship athletic teams, and numerous transfer programs, SCCC is a first-choice college for Long Island students. Visit us online at sunysuffolk.edu.

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