kcactf-post-festival-2021-press-release

The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship for 2020 went to Rashun Carter, Illinois State University, and the second place recipient was Destiny Mosely, Sam Houston State University, Texas.. The

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 3, 2021

The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

announces

Award and Scholarship Recipients of the

2021 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

Honoring Outstanding Student Achievement at the National Festival and Celebrating More Than 90 Innovative Virtual

Theater Productions

(WASHINGTON)—The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the

national awardees of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which was held virtually in convenings for each discipline that began on March 8, 2021 and continued through May 22, 2021 Dozens of students received scholarships, fellowships, and cash awards in recognition of their outstanding work in a digital ceremony on May 22, 2021 These student artists from across the United States were selected from the eight virtual regional festivals that were held January 6 through February 28, 2021

“This has been a remarkable year that forced students to adapt, and in doing so these students found new ways of working that have expanded their toolkits in ways that will make them

stronger artists and change-makers in the field,” said KCACTF Artistic Director, Gregg Henry

“The students led us, making it more necessary than ever to find ways of gathering to recognize the work, champion equity on stage and in the rehearsal room, and celebrate our diversity.” The National Festival included opportunities for students to participate in master classes and to engage with colleagues from across the nation and working artists from across the country Additionally, each of the eight regional festivals included a pre-conference Anti-Racist Theater Workshop with Nicole Brewer and a Critics Lab created and led by Jose Solís for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) who haven’t been welcomed into cultural criticism, whether through lack of opportunity or because they didn’t know they were allowed to see themselves as critics

The recipients of the awards, scholarships, and fellowships announced at the National Festival are listed below Following that are honors representing outstanding and distinguished

achievement recognized by the KCACTF National Committee and the KCACTF National Office

at the Kennedy Center

THE ASPIRE ARTS LEADERSHIP FELLOWS PROGRAM

Sponsored by the League of Resident Theaters (LORT) and the Kennedy Center American

College Theater Festival, this program is designed to cultivate a new generation of artistic and administrative leaders for the American Theater with a focus of engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and members of other groups that are consistently underrepresented in the field This diverse national cohort of fellows assembled from all of KCACTF’s eight regions engaged in topics concerning equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism as well as leadership skills building, investigation of institutional challenges, and professional networking

opportunities

The following awards are given in partnership with The College of Fellows of the American Theatre, whose primary purpose, since 1965, is to promote and encourage the highest standards

of research, writing, and creativity in educational and professional theatre through honoring distinguished service and notable accomplishment by individuals of recognized national stature The Charlene Gordon Arts Impact Awards are made possible by the generosity of arts

philanthropist Charlene Gordon, the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, and the

Kennedy Center Awardees are chosen by Fellows Cheryl Black of the University of Missouri, David Leong of Virginia Commonwealth University, and Kathryn Ervin of California State

University, San Bernardino, in consultation with the ASPIRE Arts Leadership Faculty The

recipients, each distinguished emerging arts leaders, advocates, and activists, will receive a $1000 award, and a trip to Washington D.C for participation in Arts Advocacy Day presented by

Americans for the Arts in Spring 2022, or a Kennedy Center residency in late Summer 2021, featuring mentorship by Gail Humphries Mardirosian, Washington D.C artistic leaders, and Senior Kennedy Center Administrative and Programming staff

The Charlene Gordon Arts Impact Awards for 2020 are Isha Rao of Slippery Rock University and Jada Alexia Hampton of the University of Southern Indiana

The Charlene Gordon Arts Impact Awards for 2021 are Kelli Crump of University of Michigan-Flint and Sierra Lancaster of Boston Conservatory at Berklee

The College of Fellows John Cauble Emerging Leader Awards are given in memory of Fellow John Cauble, thanks to a gift by Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer of Disney Theatrical Group, who credits the late UCLA Professor Cauble as the mentor who led to his distinguished career as a Producer Two awards of $5,000 are given each year to two outstanding participants of the ASPIRE Arts Leadership program, designed to mentor and advance the careers

of young leaders of color, and are selected by Victoria Nolan and Kelvin Dinkins Jr of Yale School

of Drama, Khady Kamara of Second Stage Theatre, and Curt Columbus of Trinity Repertory Theatre, the four co-directors of the program, representing of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT)

The 2020 recipients of the John Cauble Emerging Leader Award are Isha Rao of Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and Jada Alexia Hampton of the University of Southern Indiana

The 2021 recipients of the John Cauble Emerging Leader Award are Kelli Crump of University of Michigan-Flint and Nadel D Henville of Emmanuel College in Massachusetts

Sierra Lancaster of Boston Conservatory at Berklee will join the team at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center as an Arts Administration Fellow

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 2021 recipients are as follows:

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg National Student Playwriting Award went to

Dream Hou$e by Eliana Pipes, Boston University

The Hip Hop Theatre Creator Awards went to TumbleWEEDS by Anuhea Brown, NYU Second place went to Saturday the 13th by Isaiah Reaves, University of Iowa

The Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Awards went to How to Bruise Gracefully by Brittany Fisher, the Julliard School Second place went to Good Fit by Nkenna Akunna, Brown University Distinguished Achievement went to Songs of a Caged Bird by

Christopher Lindsay, Brown University/Trinity Repertory and The Write Choice by Daysha

Veronica, UCLA

The Rosa Parks Playwriting Awards went to Good Fit by Nkenna Akunna, Brown University Second place went to How to Bruise Gracefully by Brittany Fisher, the Julliard School Distinguished Achievement went to The Write Choice by Daysha Veronica, UCLA, and Songs of a Caged Bird by Christopher Lindsay, Brown University/Trinity Repertory

The David Mark Cohen Playwriting Awards went to summertime: an interlude by Aniello Fontano, University of New Mexico and I’m Lot Lane (a solo effort) by Keola

Simpson and members of ¡好 / Peligro! (or Aloha also means goodbye), University of

Hawai’i at Manoa, and How to Clean Your Room (and remember your trauma) by J Chavez,

Western Washington University

The KCACTF Musical Theater Award went to The Preparation to the Death of Mary

Dyer by Jeremy Geragotelis, University of Iowa

The Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Awards went to Reap the Grove by Caity-Shea Violette, Boston University Second place went to The Anxiety of Laughing by Andrew Justvig, University of California, Riverside, and Hard Places, Garrett Zuercher, Hunter

College Dave Osmundsen of Arizona State University was recognized for Distinguished Achievement for his play Light Switch

The Latinx Playwriting Awards went to The Jersey Devil is a Papi Chulo by Iraisa Ann Reilly, NYU, and Temporary by Amy Toruño, University of Illinois Distinguished

Achievement went to ¡Nails! a happy gay latina play by Eliana Pipes, Boston University and

En Las Sombras by Jordan Ramirez Puckett, Ohio University

The Planet Earth Arts Playwriting Award went to Goods by Lauren Ferebee,

University of Arkansas

The Darrell Ayers National Playwriting Awards for outstanding play for young

audiences went to En Las Sombras by Jordan Ramirez Puckett, Ohio University Second place went to Exotic Deadly or the MSG Play by Keiko Green, University of California, San Diego Distinguished Achievement went to Good Heavens! by Daniel Repp, Western

Washington University

The Mark Twain Prizes for Comic Playwriting went to [cowboy face] by Elise Wien, Boston University Second place went to The Jersey Devil is a Papi Chulo by Iraisa Ann Reilly, NYU, and Long by Charlie Oh, the Julliard School Distinguished Achievement went to Good Heavens! by Daniel Repp, Western Washington University, and The

Migratory Patterns of the North American Monarch Butterfly and Development of Featherless Sons or A Great Migration by Preston Choi, University of California, San Diego

The Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Awards went to The Migratory Patterns of the North

American Monarch Butterfly and Development of Featherless Sons or A Great Migration by

Preston Choi, University of California, San Diego Second place went to Jar of Fat by Seayoung Yim, Brown University Distinguished Achievement went to Exotic Deadly or the

MSG Play and Hometown Boy by Keiko Green, University of California, San Diego

The Paula Vogel Playwriting Awards went to Long by Charlie Oh, the Julliard School Second place went to How to Bruise Gracefully by Brittany Fisher, the Julliard School The National Undergraduate Playwriting Awards went to Good Heavens! by Daniel Repp, Western Washington University Second place went to Radial Gradient by Jasmine Sharma, Northwestern University Distinguished Achievement went to Land of

Opportunity by Jeremiah Abdullah, University of Texas at Austin

The John Cauble Awards for Outstanding Short Play went to Omo Mi by Sadia Alao, University of Maryland College Park, and Outraged by Jayne Deely, Indiana University at

Bloomington This program recognizes outstanding one-act plays and Alao and Deely each received a $500 award, and membership in the Dramatists Guild of America and the Playwrights’ Center of Minneapolis

The Gary Garrison Award for Outstanding Ten-Minute Play went to Bev Playing

Bev in “The Money Shot” by Amber Palmer, University of Wisconsin, Madison This award,

named after the former Director of the Dramatists Guild Institute and Executive Director for Creative Affairs of the Dramatist Guild of America, recognizes outstanding

ten-minute plays Palmer received a $500 award and membership in the Dramatists Guild of America and the Playwrights’ Center of Minneapolis

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

The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship for 2020 went to Rashun Carter, Illinois State University, and the second place recipient was Destiny Mosely, Sam Houston State University, Texas The

2021 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship went to Terrence Mayfield, Illinois State University, and the second place recipient was Katarina Tyler, University of Wyoming Carter and Mayfield received

a $5,000 scholarship and Mosely and Tyler received a $2,500 scholarship

The regional finalists and their acting partners were eligible for additional scholarships,

fellowships, and awards

The College of Fellows Jane Alexander Emerging Artist Awards are given to an actor each year selected from the National Finalists or Partners of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships who, in addition to their scholarship audition have submitted an essay reflecting on Integrity: the Responsibility of an Emerging Theatre Artist The

$2500 award has been selected by a panel designated by the College of Fellows of the American Theatre

The 2020 recipient of the College of Fellows Jane Alexander Emerging Artist Award was Jimmy Nguyen, Doane University, Nebraska, and the 2021 Award went to Gerald Kitt, University of Central Florida

The Mark Twain Scholarship for Comic Performance for 2020 went to Jimmy Nguyen, Doane University, Nebraska, and the second place recipient was Allison Walker, Southern Oregon University The 2021 recipient was Frank Ramirez, California State University, Los Angeles, and the second place recipient was Kirstin VanRenselaar, Alfred University, New York Nguyen and Ramirez received $1,500 scholarships Walker and VanRenselaar received $500 scholarships

The recipients of the $1500 National Partners of the American Theatre Classical Acting Award was Jimmy Haynie of California State University, Fresno for 2020 The

2021 recipient was Kirstin VanRenselaar of Alfred University, New York The National Partners of the American Theatre (NAPAT) is an organization made up of former

organizational leaders of KCACTF, committed to the goals and mission of the

organization to support emerging artists

The recipient of the $500 Kingsley Colton Award for Outstanding Partner was Arium Andrews, California State University, Fresno

THE OPEN JAR INSTITUTE SCHOLARSHIP

The recipients of the 2020 Open Jar Institute’s Musical Theatre Scholarship was Julia Rakus of Binghamton University, and the 2021 recipient was Hannah Verdi of the University of Idaho New York City's most Broadway-integrated actor training program, the Open Jar Institute provides select students intensive one-on-one training with some of the Broadway theatre's most

distinguished teaching artists, performers, directors, choreographers, agents and casting directors

THE SDC NATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS

In association with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) SDC is the theatrical union that unites, empowers, and protects professional Stage Directors and Choreographers throughout the United States

The SDC National Fellowship went to Rainah Gregory, University of Virginia

The Theatrical Intimacy Education Professional Learning Fellowship went to Sarah Honerman, Minnesota State University,Mankato

The Wildwind Performance Lab Directing Fellowships went to María Amenábar Farias, Illinois State University, and Matthew Mullin, California State University,

Fullerton

The Kennedy Center Directing Intensive Scholarships went to Sarah Curtis,

University of Texas at El Paso; Matthew Pezzulich, Adelphi University, New York; Patrick Reilly, Bates College, Maine; and Erin Smith, Western Washington University

THE KENNEDY CENTER AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN

SCENIC, COSTUME, LIGHTING, SOUND DESIGN, AND STAGE MANAGEMENT

Designs of the regional finalists were displayed digitally during the National Festival and the National Design Respondents, distinguished artists in theatrical design, have selected award recipients in each category First Place National Kennedy Center Design Award recipients

received $1000, Second Place recipients received $500, and Third Place, runners up, and

honorable mentions received $250

The Kennedy Center Award for Excellence in Scenic Design went to Georgia Fried, Salisbury University, Maryland Honorable Mentions went to Laura Hernandez,

California State University, Los Angeles, and Brindle Brundage, University of Idaho The Kennedy Center Award for Excellence in Costume Design went to Brittannie McKenna Travis, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Second Place went to Zechariah Saenz, Michigan State University Third Place went to Kelsey Blotter, Texas Tech University

The Kennedy Center Award for Excellence in Sound Design went to Anna Mitchell Johnson, Hollins University, Virginia Second Place went to Frank Vondra, Minnesota State University, Mankato Third Place went to Samantha Noto, Suffolk University, Massachusetts

The Barbizon Award for Excellence in Lighting Design went to Kat Yo, University

of Portland, Oregon, and Clara Wiebe, Oklahoma City University Runner-up went to Hunter Mountz, Salem State University

Regional finalists were also eligible for the additional design awards and fellowships The 2020 and 2021 recipients were:

The National Partners of the American Theatre Design Award for 2020 went to Alina Cannon, Weber State University (scenic design) The award for 2021 went to

Brittannie McKenna Travis, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (costume design) Cannon and Travis each received $1,500 The National Partners of the American Theatre (NAPAT) is an organization made up of former organizational leaders

of KCACTF, committed to the goals and mission of the organization to support emerging artists

Julia Egizio of Lewis University in Illinois will join the team at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center as a Stage Management Fellow

THE DRAMATURGY FELLOWSHIPS

In association with the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA)

The New Harmony Project Dramaturgy Residencies went to Natasha Hawkins, Salisbury University, Maryland, and Ambree Feaster, Sam Houston State University, Texas A new

educational partner, The New Harmony Project is an arts organization that supports and

celebrates writers and their work For more than three decades, The New Harmony Project has lifted up optimistic, hopeful stories of strength, courage, and the resiliency of the human spirit The Iris Turcott LMDA Conference and Intensive Fellowship went to Bradley Hewlett, Texas Tech University

The Wildwind Performance Lab Dramaturgy Residencies went to Spencer North, Earlham College, Indiana; Kevin Harris, Western Washington University; and Ambree Feaster, Sam

Houston State University, Texas Participants in the WildWind Performance Lab, Brian Quijada and Jim Wren artistic directors, on the campus of Texas Tech University, are immersed in a non-traditional and process-oriented developmental laboratory featuring Hansol Jung, Sara Porkalob, Daniel Irazarry, and Deb O, among others, as artists-in-residence

The Kennedy Center Dramaturgy Intensive Scholarships went to Melanie Anthony, Santa Monica College, California; Tiffani Hagan, University of South Carolina; Emma Loney,

University of Minnesota, Duluth; and Tess Nunan, Manhattan College

THE INSTITUTE FOR THEATRE JOURNALISM AND

ADVOCACY SCHOLARSHIP TO THE O’NEILL NATIONAL

CRITICS INSTITUTE

The O’Neill National Critics Institute Scholarship went to Matthew Eggers, University of Michigan

The WildWind Performance Lab Arts Journalism Fellowship went to Charles Lin,

MiraCosta College, California

THE KCACTF UNDERGRADUATE THEATRE SCHOLAR

AWARD

“Can I Put My Hand There? Creating Solutions at a Collegiate Level to Prevent Sexual

Harassment Towards Women” by Ashleigh Owens, Bradley University, Illinois

Honorable Mention went to “The ONNAGATA: A Reflection of Edo Period Views of Femininity”

by Alea Tran, Linfield University, Oregon

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AT THE VANGUARD

During these unprecedented times, KCACTF celebrates these imaginative and evocative theatre-makers and productions as being at the forefront of a revolution in artistry that ignites

conversations of national importance through innovation in process, content, form, design, technology, outreach, and audience engagement

CITIZEN ARTISTS AWARDS

The Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Awards recognize programs in higher education using

theatrical production to promote long-term societal impact through an artistic lens, to encourage empathetic exploration of the complex cultural and physical world, and to advocate for justice on campus and throughout the world

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR ROOM (and remember your trauma) Western Washington University BLOOD AT THE ROOT California State University, East Bay

SWEAT California State University, Sacramento

ReUNIÓN rEVOLUCIÓN The University of Texas at El Paso and NPR’s 88.5 KTEP

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE University of New Orleans

FOR HURTING HANDS University of the Ozarks

LIVING SIX FEET APART California State University, Fullerton

CONFESSIONS OF WOMEN FROM EAST LA California State University, Dominguez Hills

ORIENTAL FADDAH AND SON Windward Community College

PIPELINE Florida International University

THE MONUMENT Northern Vermont University-Johnson

BLACK FLAG University of Minnesota, Moorhead

IN THIS TOGETHER Normandale Community College

DisCONNECT University of Alabama at Birmingham

EXPRESSIONS A NECESSARY CONVERSATION! South Georgia State College

TRIGGERED University of Central Florida

TILIKUM University of Central Missouri

WELL Marietta College

WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN Bowie State University

BALTIMORE Ramapo College of New Jersey

IN THIS MOMENT: REFLECTIONS OF OUR TIME University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point THE THANKSGIVING PLAY Hope College

20K LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA University of Toledo Black Theatre Ensemble

THE eCARPA OF LA VICTIMA LaGuardia Community College

TO GATHER APART Suffolk University

THE LARAMIE PROJECT Manhattan College

ANTIGONE ABLAZE Bridgewater State University

I'M LOT LANE (a solo effort) ¡好 / Peligro! (or Aloha also means goodbye) and University of

Hawai`i at Manoa

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT: UNIQUE THEATRICAL EVENT

ReUNIÓN rEVOLUCIÓN audio plays by Georgina Hernández Escobar, Virginia Grise, Andrew

Siañez De La O, and Julia Rosa Sosa—The University of Texas at El Paso, NPR’s 88.5 KTEP, and State of the Arts, hosted by Marina Monsisvais

I’M LOT LANE (a solo effort)

¡好 / Peligro! (or Aloha also means goodbye) and University of Hawai`i at Manoa

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN VIRTUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

SWEAT California State University, Sacramento

THEATRE MACABRE: NETWORK Emmanuel College

THE MONUMENT Northern Vermont University - Johnson

JABBERWOCKY Northwestern College

WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN Bowie State University

ANTIGONE ABLAZE Bridgewater State University

BLOOD AT THE ROOT California State University, East Bay

ReUNIÓN rEVOLUCIÓN The University of Texas at El Paso and NPR’s 88.5 KTEP

INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

TILIKUM University of Central Missouri

SHE KILLS MONSTERS: VIRTUAL REALMS Riverland Community College

OF THE DEEP Iowa State University

JABBERWOCKY Northwestern College

GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE Truman State University

WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN Bowie State University

HEAVEN ON EARTH York College of Pennsylvania

THEATRE MACABRE: NETWORK Emmanuel College

THE LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME Salem State University

DESCRIBE THE NIGHT University of Southern Mississippi

TIME ZONES APART Union College

LIVING SIX FEET APART California State University, Fullerton

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR ROOM (and remember your trauma) Western Washington University THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY West Texas A&M University

MACHINAL Penn State Harrisburg

SOMNIUM Rochester Institute of Technology & National Technical Institute for the Deaf

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERALL PRODUCTION DESIGN

DESCRIBE THE NIGHT University of Southern Mississippi

SHE KILLS MONSTERS: VIRTUAL REALMS Virginia Commonwealth University

THEATRE MACABRE: NETWORK Emmanuel College

THE LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME Salem State University

ANTIGONE ABLAZE Bridgewater State University

I’M LOT LANE (a solo effort)

¡好 / Peligro! (or Aloha also means goodbye) and University of Hawai`i at Manoa

BLOOD AT THE ROOT California State University, East Bay

THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY West Texas A&M University

THE EMPEROR JONES University of New Orleans

DisCONNECT University of Alabama at Birmingham

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR ROOM (and remember your trauma) Western Washington University MACHINAL Penn State Harrisburg

THE RADIUM GIRLS Western Connecticut State University

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMATURGY

LET ME DOWN EASY Sam Houston State University—Ambree Feaster

BALTIMORE Ramapo College—Daniel Ciba

ICONIC University of Central Missouri—Sabrina Ortiz

JABBERWOCKY Northwestern College—Rachel Smart

ORIENTAL FADDAH AND SON Windward Community College—Jeremy Keuma

SWEAT California State University, Sacramento—Salvador Vasquez

GARY: A SEQUEL TO TITUS ANDRONICUS Spokane Fall Community College—the Company

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN LIGHTING DESIGN

THE EMPEROR JONES University of New Orleans—Diane Baas

I’M LOT LANE (a solo effort)¡好 / Peligro! (or Aloha also means goodbye)

and University of Hawai`i at Manoa—Rachel Sorensen

STUPID FUCKING BIRD University of Wisconsin-Parkside -Jake Bray

20K LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

University of Toledo Black Theatre Ensemble—Stephen Sakowski

ANTIGONE ABLAZE Bridgewater State University—the Company

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

I’M LOT LANE (a solo effort) ¡好 / Peligro! (or Aloha also means goodbye)

and University of Hawai`i at Manoa —Jesse Höyhtyä

MEASURE FOR MEASURE University of South Florida—Marilyn Gaspardo Bertch

SHE KILLS MONSTERS: VIRTUAL REALMS Virginia Commonwealth University—Kirsten Katt THE LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME Salem State University—Jane Hillier-Walkowiak

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DESIGN

ReUNIÓN REVOLUTIÓN The University of Texas at El Paso—Ian Gilliam