2014 KCACTF National Festival Awardees Announced!

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced the national awardees of the 46th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), April 14-19, 2014. Dozens of students received scholarships, fellowships, and cash awards in recognition of their outstanding work. From January 7 through March 1, 2014, these student artists from eight regions presented their work and were selected to travel to Washington, D.C. for an expenses-paid trip to participate in National Festival events taking place at the Kennedy Center.

The National Festival included short play readings featuring the finalists of the John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play, and the KCACTF Ten-Minute Play Award; the Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards showcase; public auditions for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships; the opportunity for participants to take part in master classes and engage with colleagues from across the nation and the Washington, D.C. theater community; and a closing day ceremony for awards in production, directing, choreography, acting, writing, design, stage management, dramaturgy, and theater criticism.

Developed in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the Kennedy Center's founding Chairman, the KCACTF encourages and celebrates the finest and most diverse theatrical productions from colleges and universities nationwide. The eight regional festivals and national festival provide an opportunity for college and university theater departments to present their work, especially new or student-written work, and to receive outside assessment. Since its establishment 46 years ago, KCACTF has reached millions of theatergoers and made important contributions to the professional development of countless college and university theater students nationwide.

The recipients of the awards, scholarships, and fellowships announced at the national festival are listed below.

THE MICHAEL KANIN PLAYWRITING AWARDS

This program encourages and supports the development of student-written plays through a variety of honors, including, potential publication contracts, membership in the Dramatists Guild of America, and cash awards. The 2014 recipients were as follows:

The John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play went to War Profits by Brian James Polak, University of Southern California. This program recognizes outstanding one-act plays and Polak was awarded a $500 prize.

The Gary Garrison Award for Outstanding Ten-Minute Play went to Pass the Lingonberries by Nick Carr, New York University. This award, named after the Co-Executive Director of the Dramatist Guild of America, Garry Garrison, recognizes outstanding ten-minute plays. Carr was awarded a $500 prize.

The new name for the KCACTF Ten-Minute Play Award was announced in the Kennedy Center Theater Lab on Saturday, April 19, in recognition of Garrison's tireless support of playwrights across the country. In 1997, Garrison inaugurated the Ten-Minute Play Festival while Chair of the National Playwriting Program in Region Two. The late John Lion, then Artistic Director of KCACTF, asked Garrison to develop the program nationwide. Students are cast from across the regions and rehearse the invited ten-minute plays over the five days of the regional festivals. It has become a model of collaboration as students work and mingle with their peers from other institutions. The program has grown to over 1,100 play submissions per year, with six plays invited to be showcased at each regional festival. The four national finalists of the award were showcased in the Terrace Theater on Thursday evening, April 17 as a Millennium Stage presentation. An archive of the performance can be found here: http://www.kennedy- center.org/explorer/videos/?id=M5831.

The Orchard Project Core Company Scholarship went to Russyan Mark Mabeza, Brown University and Emma Kimball, Colorado State University. Kimball and Mabeza will attend The Orchard Project's apprentice program in New York's Catskill Mountains during the summer of 2014, working with a wide range of cutting-edge theater ensembles and distinguished playwrights.

The National Committee for the Performing Arts Undergraduate Playwriting Award went to Gray's Ferry by Natyna S. Osborne of New York University.

The Milan Stitt Award for Outstanding Teacher of Playwriting went to Deborah Anderson of Middle Tennessee State University. Professor Anderson has taught undergraduate playwriting classes at MTSU for over twenty-five years. Many of her students have gone on to distinguished graduate playwriting programs, but the foundational work in the essential building blocks of playwriting have benefitted countless students graduating to careers in performance and teaching.

The Artists Striving to End Poverty Scholarships (ASTEP) By connecting established and emerging artists with underserved youth, ASTEP uses the arts as a tool to foster creativity, teach life skills, and awaken young people's imaginations. The below students received the following:

Volunteer Placements
Elle Marie Sullivan, University of Central Florida
Amanda Dolan, Oklahoma City University
Nathaniel Quinn, University of Idaho
Halle Townes, Western Washington University

"The Artist As Citizen" Conference Scholarships
Reina Hardy, University of Texas at Austin
Juan Collado, LaGuardia Community College
Kelsey Michaud, University of Southern Maine
Alexis Jenofsky, Albright College
Keith Comely, Flagler College
Blake Wales, Adelphi University

Previously announced awards include:

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg National Student Playwriting Award went to Meredith Dayna Levy of Hollins University for Decision Height. The second place recipient is Karen Wurl of Texas Tech University for Underworld.

The Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting went to Abbey Fenbert of Boston University for Intentions.

The Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award went to Brian James Polak of University of Southern California for Henry and the Hippocampus. The second-place recipient is Vic Shuttee of University of Houston for Brick Wall.

The Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award went to Jeff Augustin of the University of California-San Diego for Little Children Dream of God. The second place recipient is Nathan Davis of Indiana University for Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea.

The Paula Vogel Award in Playwriting went to Jen Silverman of The Juilliard School/University of Iowa for The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane. The second place recipient is Kristin Idaszak of the University of California-San Diego for The Liar Paradox.

The Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award went to Russyan Mark Mabeza of Brown University for Broken Zipper. The second place recipient is Michael Yichao of California Institute of the Arts for Jellyfish Pine.

The Rosa Parks Playwriting Award went to Michael Parsons of Boston University for Sumner Falls.

The KCACTF Hip Hop Creator Awards went to Blood at the Root, by Dominique Morisseau, developed with the Penn State University Graduate Acting Company, Stori Ayers, Brandon Carter, Allison Jaye, Tyler Reilly, Kenzie Ross, and Christian Thompson. An archive of the April 7 Millennium Stage performance of the play can be found here: http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/videos/?id=M5773.

The second place recipient is Hooded, by Tearrance A. Chisholm, Catholic University of America. An archive of the April 16 Millennium Stage presentation showcasing a number of the Michael Kanin Playwriting Award-winners, includes a selection from Hooded, and can be found here: http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/videos/?id=M5773.

The KCACTF Latinidad Playwriting Award went to Briandaniel Oglesby of University of Texas at Austin for She Gets Naked in the End. The second place recipient is Cassie M. Seinuk of Lesley University for From the Deep.

The KCACTF Theater for Young Audiences Award went to Reina Hardy of University of Texas at Austin for Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven.

The National Partners of the American Theater Playwriting Award went to Edward Precht, College of Charleston, for Bread and Circuses. The second place recipient is Jordan Morille, Texas State University, for Love, Norman.

The David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award went to Peter Sampieri for Kafka in Tel Aviv, Salem State University; AND Steven Barkhimer for Windowmen, Boston University.

The KCACTF Musical Theater Award went to The Single Girl's Guide, music and lyrics by Tommy Newman, book by Gordon Greenberg. Produced and developed by Troy University.

The National Finalists of the John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play
Kirsten Fentz of Ball State University for The Last Sunrise
Neal Adelman of Ohio University for Tarrant County
Brian James Polak of University of Southern California for War Profits
Jordan Morille of Texas State University for Speedball

The National Finalists of the Gary Garrison Award for Outstanding Ten-Minute Play

Michael Yichao of California Institute of the Arts for Bread
Stephanie Brownell of Boston University for Eskimo Pie
Tearrance Chisolm of Catholic University of America for A'nat Dittni
Nick Carr of New York University for Pass the Lingonberries

THE IRENE RYAN ACTING SCHOLARSHIPS

The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education and professional development. Each of the 16 regional finalists receive a $500 scholarship and week-long, expenses-paid trip to the national festival, where a panel made up of artistic directors, actors, producers, and casting agents view the audition presentations of monologues, scenes, and songs. Two $3,000 scholarships were awarded.

This year, The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships went to Satya Chavez assisted by Keilani Fuqua, University of Colorado at Boulder, and Jake Lozano, assisted by Josh Bonzie, University of Oklahoma.

The regional finalists and their acting partners were eligible for additional scholarships, fellowships, and awards. The 2014 recipients are:

The Mark Twain Scholarship for Comic Performance went to Ben Henderson, Utah Valley University. Henderson was awarded a $2,000 cash scholarship.

The Williamstown Theatre Festival Apprenticeship went to Angelica Kate Richardson, Bradley University. For eight weeks in the summer of 2014, Richardson will attend workshops, seminars, and will be cast in productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.

The Actors Theatre of Louisville Apprentice Company Scholarship went to Josh Bonzie, University of Oklahoma. Bonzie will spend a full season in residence in the company, performing in roles and understudying throughout the season- including the internationally acclaimed Humana Festival for New American Plays.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Acting Fellowship went to Ben Henderson, Utah Valley University. The Fellowship includes a weekly stipend, housing, and ongoing master classes with senior company members and faculty of the Academy for Classical Acting.

The Society of American Fight Directors Scholarship went to Ben Henderson, Utah Valley University. For three weeks in the summer of 2014, Henderson will attend the National Stage Combat Workshop at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

The VASTA [Voice and Speech Trainers Association] Award for Vocal Excellence went to Satya Chavez, University of Colorado at Boulder. Chavez received membership in VASTA and a $500 award.

The Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre Mad River Festival Scholarship went to Kamron McClure, University of Oklahoma. The alternate is Keilani Fuqua, partner to Satya Chavez, University of Colorado at Boulder. McClure will spend a month in Blue Lake, California studying with the leading faculty of the Dell'Arte School, in an intensive immersion in mask, clown, physical theatre, and circus training.

The Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre Training Program Scholarship went to Markeitra Gilliam, University of Alabama at Birmingham (selected from the eight regional festivals). Gilliam received a $5,500 scholarship to attend the nine-month Dell'Arte Diploma program in Blue Lake, California.

The National Partners of the American Theatre Classical Acting Award, presented in association with the Shaw Festival, went to Emily Nash, University of Idaho. The alternate is Jake Lozano, University of Oklahoma. Nash will study for three weeks at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

The Margolis Method Summer Intensive Fellowship went to Kiayla Jackson, partner to Angelica Kate Richardson, Bradley University. Jackson will attend a three-week-long intensive workshop at the Margolis Brown Theater Company's Barryville, New York studio complex.

The Kingsley Colton Award for Outstanding Partner went to Josh Bonzie, partner to Jake Lozano, University of Oklahoma. Sponsored by Actors' Equity Association, Bonzie received a $500 award for his outstanding support of Mr. Lozano's Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship audition.

THE SDC NATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS
In association with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)

The Kennedy Center and National New Play Network MFA Playwrights' Workshop/Directing Intensive Fellowship went to Ibi Owolabi, Georgia Southern University AND Rebecca Harper, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Owolabi and Harper will receive a full fellowship [travel, lodging and per diem] to participate in the Kennedy Center's summer intensive program on "Developing the New Play," led by Michael Rau and Will Davis, and will assist one of the directors from National New Play Network member theaters-in-residence to develop one of the invited plays.

The Seven Devils Playwrights' Conference Directing Fellowship went to Amelia Bahr, Texas State University. Bahr will receive a full fellowship [travel, room and board] to assist the artistic leadership in the development of the six invited plays of the Conference, in McCall, Idaho.

The O'Neill Playwrights' Conference Directing Fellowship went to Desire?e York, California State University at Fullerton. York will be assisting one of the directors at the O'Neill Playwrights' Conference, led by artistic director Wendy Goldberg.

THE KCACTF AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCENIC, COSTUME, LIGHTING, AND SOUND DESIGN

Designs of the regional finalists were displayed during the national festival and the National Design Respondents, distinguished artists in theatrical design, have selected award recipients in each category. All National KCACTF Design Award recipients received an honorarium of $500 and an expenses-paid five-day design immersion trip to tour studios and production facilities, and meet with designers. Special thanks Barbizon, Inc. for their support of the Lighting and Sound Design Project in the Kennedy Center Theater Lab, April 15-18, 2014. Special thanks also to Harman International, Soundcraft and Martin Lighting for their support of intensive master classes in sound and lighting technologies.

The KCACTF Award for Excellence in Scenic Design went to Kim Williams, Doane College. Second place went to Tina Pfefferkorn, Montclair State University. Honorable mention went to Meg Hanna, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The KCACTF Award for Excellence in Costume Design went to Fan Zhang, University of Connecticut. Second place went to Maureen Freedman, University of Connecticut. Honorable mention went to Allison Burrell, Alfred University.

The KCACTF Award for Excellence in Sound Design went to Jessica Thompson, Mesa Community College. Second place went to Zack Mckenna, Arcadia University. Honorable mentions went to David Dingess, and Tyler Voyles, Georgia College and State University.

The Barbizon Award for Excellence in Lighting Design went to John King, College of Charleston. Second place went to Andrew Killion, Colorado State University. Honorable mention went to Ian Shelansky, SUNY Buffalo.

Regional finalists were also eligible for the additional design awards and fellowships. The 2014 recipients are:

The National Partners of the American Theater Award for Design Award went to Ethan Hartman of University of Oklahoma, for scenic design. The alternate is Meg Hanna, University of Hawaii at Manoa, for scenic design. Hartman will spend an expenses-paid week in Seoul, South Korea visiting theater design and traditional arts classes, various design studios, and attending performances. This award is presented to one of the Design Award finalists, and is funded by members of the National Partners. The Design Excellence Award is co-sponsored by the Korean National University of the Arts (KNUA).

The Williamstown Theatre Festival Sound Design Fellowship went to Zach McKenna, Arcadia University. McKenna will participate in an eight-week sound design residency at the prestigious summer institution, with meal stipend, travel and lodging provided.

The Seven Devils Playwrights' Conference Design Fellowship went to Ethan Hartman, University of Oklahoma. Hartman was selected to assist the invited playwrights and their artistic teams with design exploration and conceptualization during their development process at the Conference in McCall, Idaho.

The NCPA O'Neill Playwrights' and Music Theatre Conference Design Fellowships

Recipients of the O'Neill Playwright's Conference Design Fellowships have been awarded a residency in their respective design field at the O'Neill National Playwrights' Conference in Waterford, Connecticut.

The Fellowship for scenic design went to Meg Hanna, University of Hawaii at Manoa. The Fellowship for lighting design went to Steven Piechocki, Utah State University. The Fellowship for sound design went to Emma Kimball, Colorado State University. The Fellowship for stage management went to Aaron Alonso, Western Washington University.

The Fellowship for arts management went to A.J. Orth, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

The recipients of the NCPA Design Award are Emma Kimball, Colorado State University, Meg Hanna, University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Steven Piechocki, Utah State University.

The Kennedy Center and National New Play Network Design Dramaturgy Fellowship went to Tristan James, Ball State University.

THE LITERARY MANAGERS AND DRAMATURGS OF THE AMERICAS (LMDA) FELLOWSHIPS

Colin Hart of Ball State University will attend the O'Neill National Playwrights' Conference as a member of the literary staff.

Rachel Bauer of University of Missouri-Columbia and Laura Millar of Sonoma State University will attend the Kennedy Center and National New Play Network MFA Playwrights' Workshop and New Play Dramaturgy Intensive.

THE KCACTF UNDERGRADUATE THEATRE SCHOLAR AWARDS

Lee Larson, Wake Forest University for "William Shakespeare's Classical Inspiration: The Greco-Roman Heritage in Elizabethan Theatre." The second place recipient is Elaine Pazaski, Westmont College for "La Tempesta: A Mirror to Life and the Theatre."

THE INSTITUTE FOR THEATRE JOURNALISM AND ADVOCACY SCHOLARSHIPS

These scholarships are in association with the O'Neill National Critics Institute.

Jane Huffman of Kalamazoo College received a full scholarship to attend the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's National Critics' Institute during its National Playwrights' Conference in July 2014, working with leading professional newspaper and magazine critics from across the United States.

Rick Chason of University Massachusetts Boston received partial scholarships to attend the summer institute program.

EDUCATION AT THE KENNEDY CENTER

As the national center for the performing arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is committed to increasing opportunities for all people to participate in and understand the arts. To fulfill that mission, the Kennedy Center strives to commission, create, design, produce, and/or present performances and programs of the highest standard of excellence and of a diversity that reflects the world in which we live-and to make those performances and programs accessible and inclusive.

Education at the Kennedy Center includes resources from its presentations and productions and those of its affiliates: the National Symphony Orchestra, VSA (the international arts and disability organization), and Washington National Opera. The focus, locally and nationally, is on producing and presenting age appropriate performances and educational events for young people and their families; school- and community-based programs that directly impact teachers, students, artists, and school and arts administrators through professional development; systemic and school improvement through arts integrated curricula, inclusive classrooms, and universal design in facilities and learning; creating partnerships around the issues of arts education and arts integrated education; creating and providing educational materials via print and the Internet; developing careers in the arts for young people and aspiring professionals; and strengthening the management of arts organizations.

The education programs of the Kennedy Center have become models for communities across the country and have unlocked the door to learning for millions of young people. This has been accomplished by fostering creativity, teaching discipline, improving self-esteem, and challenging students to think in new ways, as well as offering them experiences in the pure enjoyment and excitement of the performing arts. For more information, visit the Center's website at www.kennedy-center.org/education.

For more information about the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, visit www.kcactf.org. Please visit facebook.com/kennedycenter for behind-the-scenes news, special offers, advance notice of events and other related Kennedy Center Facebook pages. Follow @kencen on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news, offers and more.

To post a comment, you must register and login.