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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 4, 2016
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents
The 48th Annual
KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATER FESTIVAL
National Festival Runs April 12–16, 2016
Kennedy Center hosts more than 150 outstanding theater students from across the nation
(WASHINGTON)The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 150
outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the 48th annual
Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which runs April 12–16, 2016 in
multiple locations throughout the Center. Thousands of student artists from eight regions across the
country presented their work at regional festivals from January 5 through February 27, 2016 and more
than 150 were selected to travel to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., for an all-expenses-paid
trip to participate in the national festival.
The festival includes readings of short plays featuring the finalists of the Gary Garrison National TenMinute Play Award as part of the Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards showcase and the John Cauble
Award for Outstanding Short Play; public auditions for the Irene Ryan National 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. The College of Fellows Jane Alexander Award for Acting will also be awarded and presented
by Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, during the scholarship and
awards presentations of the Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarships held in the Kennedy Center
Terrace Theater on Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.
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 the national festival provide an opportunity for
college and university theater departments to showcase their achievements in production, celebrate their
students in all disciplines of the art form, and take advantage of a wide array of professional
development seminars, workshops, and master classes. Since its establishment 48 years ago, KCACTF
has reached millions of theatergoers and has made important contributions to the professional
development of countless college and university theater students nationwide.
~more~
EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
FREE, No Tickets Required (Millennium Stage Event)
The Every 28 Hours Plays
In association with The One-Minute Play Festival and Oregon Shakespeare Festival
This presentation is a showcase of a wide range of plays, the creative outcome of a community outreach
residency in Ferguson and St. Louis County, Missouri in the fall of 2015, written by alumni of the
Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards Program, Kirsten Greenidge, Ike Holter, Dominique Morisseau,
Jerome A. Parker, Aurin Squire, and Kennedy Center Playwriting Guest Artists Migdalia Cruz,
Kristoffer Diaz, Idris Goodwin, Neil LaBute, Jacqueline E. Lawton, Lisa Loomer, Aaron Posner, Robert
Schenkkan, Anu Yadav, and many others, including Colman Domingo, Psalmayene 24, David Henry
Hwang, Tarell Alvin MacCraney, Universes, Keith Josef Adkins, Stew, Josh Wilder, and Lynn Nottage.
The Every 28 Hours Plays were co-created and produced between Dominic D’Andrea of The OneMinute Play Festival (1MPF) and Claudia Alick of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), with the
participation of playwrights, guest artists, and St. Louis artists and community members. Originally
created and produced in the St. Louis community, the next phase of the project will be a coordinated
series of national readings and engagements all over the country in October 2016, sponsored and
presented by partnering theaters.
Martin Wilkins, National New Play Network Producer-in-Residence at Actors Theatre of Charlotte and
O’Neill National directing Fellow, will direct the presentation with Vaughn Midder, University of
Maryland Alumni, and Gus Heagerty, former Kennedy Center Kenan Fellow and assistant director at the
Shakespeare Theatre Company. An acting company of 30 will present the work, drawn from students
and alumni from Howard University, University of Maryland, Catholic University of America, and
leading actors from the professional theater community, including Tonya Beckman, Frank Britton, J.J.
Johnson, Joy Jones, Christopher Lane, Jeff Kirkman, Manu Kumasi, Fatima Quander, and Justin Weaks.
THE MICHAEL KANIN PLAYWRITING AWARDS SHOWCASE
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
FREE, No Tickets Required (a Millennium Stage event)
The Four Finalists of the Gary Garrison National Ten-Minute Play Award
Nan by Mark Noa Gardner, Loyola Marymount University, directed by Lise Bruneau
Featuring Veronica Del Cerro and Miyuki Williams
On the verge of making a life-changing decision, a strong-willed matriarch is forced to tell her
granddaughter the news or risk hurting the ones she loves most.
The Nice View by Cynthia Veal Holm, Lesley University, directed by Martin Wilkins
Featuring Maboud Ebrahimzadeh and Jenna Sokolowski
Elaine, who has been struggling with PTSD, has created a self-imposed exile for herself. It takes
an old friend and a strange incident to coax her back into the real world.
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In The Direction Of The Sun by Sierra Carlson, James Madison University, directed by
Martin Wilkins
Two Yazidi women, a mother whose daughter was kidnapped and a medical student, have joined
the Sun Brigade in their fight against Daesh.
Jigsaw Cactus by Caitlin Turnage, University of Houston, directed by Lise Bruneau
Featuring Amanda Forstrom and James Whalen
A prodigal daughter returns home to confront her jigsaw puzzle-obsessed father. Both are forced
to acknowledge that their happiness is not to be found in the things they pursue, the places they
go, or the puzzles they try to fit back together.
Nearly 900 submissions were received for the Gary Garrison National Ten-Minute Play Award, among
which only four were chosen as finalists. A selection from each of the regional festivals is chosen as a
national finalist. One national finalist playwright will receive a cash award of $500 and a professional
development residency.
THE JOHN CAUBLE SHORT PLAY AWARDS PROGRAM
This program recognizes outstanding one-act plays. Four national finalists have been selected to
showcase their work at the Kennedy Center national festival. One playwright will be awarded a $500
prize and a professional development residency. Awards will be announced on Saturday, April 16, 2016
at 12 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Theater Lab. Concert readings of these plays, featuring distinguished
actors from the Washington, D.C. theater community, are presented throughout the national festival and
are open to the public as free events. Four 2016 national finalists will be presented over three evenings.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at 4 p.m.
Kennedy Center Theater Lab
FREE, No Tickets Required
Boxed In by Mora V. Harris, Carnegie-Mellon University, directed by Kelsey Mesa
Featuring Michael Kevin Darnall and Manu Kumasi
Jerry’s been responsible for his brother since their parents died. But when Tyler announces his intention
to go to mime college, instead of Greenburg Tech, Jerry is thrown for a loop. Sexuality, parenthood, and
pantomime are explored in this heartfelt comedy about love and acceptance.
Biodegradable Seagulls by Alexander Hehr, University of Central Florida, directed by Colin Hovde
Featuring Justin Weaks and Tim Getman
Don and Charlie, seagulls, are trapped on the beach with their heads stuck in plastic soda rings.
Strangers from different walks of life are now strapped together and begin a new friendship.
Thursday April 14, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.
Kennedy Center Theater Lab
FREE, No Tickets Required
Fledgling by Colleen McCandless, California State University, Long Beach, directed by
Shirley Serotsky
Featuring Shayna Blass, Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey, Michael Kevin Darnall, Yesenia Iglesias,
Erika Rose, and Justin Weaks
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Six months after the sudden passing of his mother Wren, Bran and his family are now losing their home.
Bran finds that he is changing; he knew something was different when that crow started talking to him in
his front yard.
Plus, a selection from the recipient of the
Harold and Mimi Steinberg National Student Playwriting Award
We Will Not Describe the Conversation by Eugenie Carabatsos, Carnegie-Mellon University
Directed by Patrick Pearson
Featuring Manu Kumasi
A single sentence from Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment provided the inspiration for the play:
when the protagonist’s sister and his lover discuss his crime, murdering an elderly pawnbroker with an
axe—in this way, “We will not describe the conversation and the tears of the two girls, and how friendly
they became.”
Friday, April 15, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.
Kennedy Center Theater Lab
FREE, No Tickets Required
Doctor Scott by Aaron Scully, University of Missouri, directed by Martin Wilkins
Inspired by Plumes by Georgia Douglas Johnson, 1927
Featuring Valeka J. Holt, Manu Kumasi, Erika Rose, Michael Russotto and Michael Willis
Set in 1927, Doctor Scott examines the difficulties faced by African-American doctors in the South as
they struggled to care for their community, their own families, and themselves.
THE IRENE RYAN NATIONAL ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS
AND MUSICAL THEATER FELLOWS SHOWCASE
Friday, April 15, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, $25
The Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarships provide recognition and financial assistance to outstanding
student performers to support further education and professional development. Each year, up to 250
nominees and their partners audition at each of the eight regional festivals. One performer and scene
partner from each region are recognized with a $500 scholarship and are selected to attend the national
festival at the Kennedy Center on an all-expenses-paid residency and the opportunity to audition for
national scholarships. Following four days of workshops and master classes, the residency culminates
with the national scholarship audition where a panel of artistic directors, actors, producers, and casting
agents will view the six-minute audition of monologues, scenes, and songs. One $5,000 scholarship,
with $1,000 going to the partner, will be awarded. A second place scholarship of $2,500, with $500
going to the partner, will also be awarded. The national finalists are also eligible for prestigious summer
fellowships and professional development residencies. All of the scholarships and awards will be
announced at the conclusion of the evening. The 2016 scholarship finalists are:
Nellie Maple, University of Central Missouri, assisted by Daniel Parman
Olivia Anderson, George Fox University, assisted by Micah Bevis
Fé Torres, Lehman College, assisted by Edgard Toro
Lawrence James Hickmon, Ramapo College of New Jersey, assisted by
Samantha Simone
Johnny Wilson, Brigham Young University, assisted by Morgan Gunter
Chayning Jenkins, Alabama State University, assisted by Ladarreun Taylor
Keirston Hodgens, Ball State University, assisted by Kayla Robertson
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Calley Luman, University of Oklahoma, assisted by David Ball
The Blanche and Irving Laurie Musical Theater Fellows
Additionally, on Friday evening, April 15, 2016 in the Terrace Theater as part of the 7:30 p.m. Irene
Ryan National Acting Scholarship Auditions and Musical Theater Fellows Showcase, performers from
around the country will showcase songs from the American Musical Theatre. They will be in residence
for performance master classes throughout the National Festival.
Mathew Stanley, Salem State University
Daniel DeCranie-Pierre, Suny Plattsburgh
Cara Clase, Millersville University
Emily Hadick, Oakland University
Ashlyn H. Uribe, Anderson University
Christian Magby, Savannah College of Art and Design
Da’Merius Ford, Wichita State University
Ryne Nardecchia, Texas State University
Nicholas J. Main, Central Washington University
Kinsey Peotter, Mesa Community College
Rebekah Robles, College of the Sequoias
Broadway Theatre Project Summer Institute Scholarship
Broadway Theatre Project has been a longtime supporter of the Musical Theatre Initiative in KCACTF
Region 1 (New England), awarding the recipient of the region’s Richard Maltby Jr. Award a full
scholarship to attend the BTP Summer Institute in July. This year, Artistic Director Debra McWaters
will introduce the scholarship recipient to the Kennedy Center audience on the evening of April 15 in
the Terrace Theater.
Students at Broadway Theatre Project attend an intense three-week training program that focuses on the
basic disciplines of musical theatre including acting, dance, voice, and the many facets of each. The
critical life skills necessary to prepare students to work in the professional world of the musical theater
stage are also addressed. Emphasis is not only placed on each individual art form but also on the
collaborative process and the collective creation of art. The Project was founded in 1991 by Tony
Award®-winning dancer, director, and choreographer Ann Reinking, and her associate on many
productions and projects for 15 years, President and BTP Artistic Director Debra McWaters, with the
help of many other gifted teaching artists, including Jay Binder, Mandy Gonzalez, Donna McKechnie,
Chazz Palminteri, Austin Pendleton, and Ben Vereen.
The Open Jar Institute
The Open Jar Institute has generously provided eight regional scholarships to its Summer Institute in
August 2016. Each of these regional scholarship awardees will audition for a full scholarship on Friday
evening, April 15, in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater by performing in the Musical Theater Fellows
Showcase, the second act of the Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarship Auditions.
Founded in 2003, The Open Jar Institute provides select students and professionals the most intensive
one-on-one training with working Broadway professionals—including directors, choreographers, agents,
casting directors, and performers. Under the artistic direction of Jeff Whiting, and with the guidance of
Joanna Gleason, Susan Stroman, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty, every class, workshop, and
masterclass is designed to challenge and push the student to prepare for a successful career in
entertainment. Every teaching artist at The Open Jar Institute is a working Broadway
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professional. They are not only the best in their field, but they are also extremely qualified and gracious
teachers, who can offer the best insight and tips to finding success in the entertainment business.
The College of Fellows Jane Alexander Award for Acting
Award will be presented Friday evening, April 15, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. during the scholarship and awards
presentations of the Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarships at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater.
The College of Fellows Jane Alexander Award for Acting is designed to celebrate the next generation of
theater artists through an award of $2,500 granted to foster the awardee’s career in any way deemed
appropriate by the winner. The award is not tied to any institution or program and can be used for head
shots, audition classes, and tickets to see theater, among other furthering career uses.
Eligible for the award are actors who are either Irene Ryan Finalists or Irene Ryan Partners. Those
interested in being considered will craft an essay that includes thoughts on art and the art of acting, of
artistic heroes/influences, integrity as an essential responsibility for the theater artist, and a vision of the
actor’s career path in relation to theater. Robert Schenkkan, Tony Award®-winner for All the Way and
recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for The Kentucky Cycle, will present this award.
In addition to the cash award, the recipient of the College of Fellows Jane Alexander Award for Acting
will be invited to be a member of the acting company of the MFA Playwrights’ Workshop, produced by
the Kennedy Center in association with the National New Play Network (NNPN), July 23 to 31, 2016.
The award recipient will be part of the development of nine plays; work side-by-side with leading actors
from Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Studio Theatre, and others; as well as connect
with the artistic leadership of 12 NNPN member theaters, in addition to Actors Theatre of Louisville,
and Theater Alliance.
The award is named for Jane Alexander, an actress of film, television, and the stage. She has four
Academy Award® nominations, two Emmy Awards, and a Tony® for her work. Ms. Alexander has
appeared in 65 films for television and the big screen, including The Great White Hope, Kramer vs.
Kramer, Testament, and Eleanor and Franklin. On the New York stage she is known for roles in The
Lady from Dubuque, Chasing Manet, First Monday in October, and The Visit. She was Chairman of the
National Endowment for the Arts during the Clinton administration.
The College of Fellows of the American Theatre recognizes eminent individuals whose life work
constitutes a truly outstanding contribution to the profession. Fellows are elected to membership for
life, come from all parts of the United States, and represent the full range of creativity and leadership in
theater.
MASTER CLASSES
Regional nominees and award-winners in the categories of performance, directing, playwriting and
dramaturgy, design, dramatic criticism, and stage management take part in master classes with artists
from across the nation and the Washington, D.C. theater community. The 2016 master class and
workshop leaders include:
Playwriting and Dramaturgy
Mark Bly, Senior Dramaturg, The Acting Company
Migdalia Cruz, Playwright Fur, Salt, Satyricoño, and El Grito Del Bronx
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Leigh Fondakowski, Tectonic Theatre Project, lead writer of The Laramie Project
Gary Garrison, Executive Director for Creative Affairs, Dramatists Guild of America
Martyna Majok, Playwright, Lark PONY Fellowship, Ironbound
Anne Morgan, Literary Manager of the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference
Drew Lichtenberg, Literary Associate and Resident Dramaturg, Shakespeare Theatre
Company
Karen Zacarías, Playwright, The Book Club Play, Legacy of Light, Mariela in the Desert, and
Destiny of Desire
Directing
Will Davis, Artistic Director, American Theatre Company, Chicago
Wendy Goldberg, Artistic Director, O’Neill National Playwrights Conference
Moisés Kaufman, Artistic Director, Tectonic Theatre Project
Lauren Keating, Associate Producer, The Guthrie Theater
Portia Krieger, Associate Director, Fun Home, National Directing Fellow
Laura Penn, Executive Director, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Daniella Topol, Co-Artistic Director, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Martin Wilkins, NNPN Producer-in-Residence at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte,
National Directing Fellow
Scenic, Costume, Lighting and Sound Design
Debra Booth, Director of Design, Studio Theatre
Tony Cisek, five-time Helen Hayes Award-winning Scenic Designer
Kathleen Geldard, Costume Designer for Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, and others
Robert Kaplowitz, Tony Award®-winning Sound Designer
Brian MacDevitt, Tony Award®-winning Lighting Designer
G.W. Mercier, Master Teacher in Scenic and Costume Design, Juan Darién
Wendy Stark Prey, Director of Costumes, Shakespeare Theatre Company
Nancy Schertler, Associate Artist, Arena Stage
Eric Shimelonis, Helen Hayes Award-winning Sound Designer and Composer
Daniel MacLean Wagner, multiple Helen Hayes Award-winning Lighting Designer
Dramatic Criticism
Mark Charney, Associate Director of the O’Neill National Critics Institute, Texas Tech
University
Chris Jones, Director of the O’Neill National Critics Institute, Chicago Tribune
Christopher Klimek, Washington City Paper
Bob Mondello, NPR and Washington City Paper
Nelson Pressley, Washington Post
Celia Wren, Washington Post
Stage Management
Danisha Crosby, Associate Producer, Round House Theatre
Craig Horness, Ford’s Theatre
Maribeth Chaprnka, Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences National Touring
Christopher Sadler, University of Oklahoma, Stage Management Program Coordinator
Karen Storms, The Washington Ballet
Ian Poole, General Manager, Arena Stage
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Leadership in the Arts
Alicia Adams, Vice President of Dance and International Programming, Kennedy Center
Jill Anderson, General Manager, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
Curt Columbus, Artistic Director, Trinity Repertory Company, Program Coordinator
Kelvin Dinkins, Diversity Committee Chairs, League of Resident Theatres
Edgar Dobie, Executive Director, Arena Stage
Deborah Ellinghaus, Managing Director, Olney Theatre Center
Garth Ross, Vice President of Community Engagement, Kennedy Center
Marie Mattson, Senior Vice President of Development, Kennedy Center
Victoria Nolan, Managing Director, Yale Repertory Theatre
Meghan Pressman, Managing Director, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Deborah F. Rutter, President, Kennedy Center
Robert Van Leer, Senior Vice President of Artistic Planning, Kennedy Center
Musical Theater
Bobby Smith, Coordinator, Multiple Helen Hayes Award-winning performer
Joe Calarco, Mutliple Helen Hayes Award-winning Director and Playwright
Christopher d’Amboise, Dancer and Choreographer
Kelly d’Amboise, Choreographer
Matthew Gardiner, Associate Artistic Director, Signature Theatre
Gabriel Mangiante, Musical Director and Pianist, Signature Theatre
Debra McWaters, Artistic Director, Broadway Theatre Project, Choreographer and Author
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Leading Actress and Cabaret Artist, Ford’s Theatre, Signature Theatre
Walter Ware III, Casting Director, Signature Theatre
Jeff Whiting, Artistic Director, The Open Jar Institute, Associate Director, Big Fish,
Bullets Over Broadway, and The Scottsboro Boys
NATIONAL FESTIVAL FINALISTS
Award finalists from the regional festivals attend the national festival to participate in the week’s master
classes and activities, as well as being eligible in each discipline for awards, residencies, and
scholarships. Awards will be announced at the closing day awards ceremony on Saturday, April 16,
2016 at 12:00 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Theater Lab.
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) Student Directing Fellowship
The nine student directors-in-residence at the national festival have been awarded associate membership
of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and are also nominees for this fellowship.
The recipient of the National Fellowship will receive a grant of $1,000 from the SDC to offset the costs
of a professional development opportunity to be arranged in consultation with the recipient. The 2016
finalists include:
Matthew Lundergan, Salem State University
Casey Lombardo, Adelphi University
Nathaniel Thomas, Ball State University
Rommel Arellan Marinas, Florida International University
Ryan Fortney, University of South Dakota
Carrie Winship, University of Missouri
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Liz Fisher, Texas State University
AnaSofia Villanueva, University of Idaho
Kadin McGreevy, University of Idaho
Nathaniel Niemi, University of Hawaii-Manoa
The KCACTF Awards for Excellence in Scenic, Costume, Lighting, and Sound Design
Designs of the regional finalists will be on display during the national festival and national design
respondents (distinguished artists in theatrical design) will select the award recipients in each category.
All KCACTF National Design Award recipients will receive an award of $500 and an all-expenses-paid
trip to Las Vegas for a Cirque du Soleil Design Immersion, visiting with the creative and design staffs of
Kâ, Mystére and O, and seeing the productions, with the assistance and coordination by the Stagecraft
Institute of Las Vegas. In addition, regional finalists will be eligible for design fellowships at the O’Neill
Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the
Shakespeare Theatre Company Costume Internship.
2016 finalists for Scenic Design:
Corey Umlauf, Emerson College
Jason Maracani, Oakland University
Rebeca Lake, University of Southern Mississippi
Natalie Hining, University of South Dakota
Jaime Dimas, Oklahoma City University
Heidi Voelker, Humboldt State University
Ashley Strain, California State University-Fullerton
2016 finalists for Costume Design:
Jelena Antanasijevic, University of Connecticut
April Gormley, Montclair State University
Albert Jones, University of Southern Indiana
Jacquelyn Loy, University of Southern Mississippi
Melissa Valdez, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Jeannie Tyrell, Santa Rosa Junior College
Emmalaine Wright, Scottsdale Community College
2016 finalists for the Barbizon Award for Excellence in Lighting Design:
Christy Choi, University of Massachusetts-Boston
Erica Maholmes, West Chester University
Rachel Thomas, University of Southern Indiana
Matthew Morris, University of Southern Mississippi
Vincente Williams, University of Missouri-Columbia
Justin Beets, Texas State University
Sydney Theissen, George Fox University
Caitlin Susen, Boise State University
William Peterson, Weber State University
2016 finalists for Sound Design:
Avery Orvis, Suffolk County Community College
David Kunz, East Stroudsburg University
Damien Figueras, Arcadia University
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Lindsay Worthington, Kalamazoo College
Alexandra Durham, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Kyle Fossé, Dordt College
Jorge Rito Flores, Texas Wesleyan University
Jacob Margolis, Colorado State University
Lydia Oliverson, Weber State University
The KCACTF Allied Design and Technologies Award
This award is open to students who have completed major crafts or technology projects in areas
including makeup, projection, properties, millinery, masks, tech, wigs, scenic art, draping and tailoring,
technical direction, puppets, special effects, costume craft, and audio engineering. Each of the recipients
received an all-expenses-paid five-day residency at the United States Institute of Theatre Technology
(USITT) Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in March 2016. 2016 recipients include:
Emily Allinson, Keene State College
Victoria Ashmore, Lycoming College
Anthony Thompson, Miami University of Ohio
Lacelynn Lites, University of Southern Mississippi
Paran Kashani, Normandale Community College
Elise Christiansen, University of Oklahoma
Mackenzie Cunningham, Colorado State University
Montana Thompson, Chandler Gilbert Community College
The Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Scholarships
The following students were awarded one-week or multi-week scholarships to the Stagecraft Institute of
Las Vegas (SILV) in the summer of 2016. SILV was founded by Don and Jane Childs to offer a better,
more efficient way to train practitioners in all areas of live entertainment. The Institute has become the
first-of-its kind intensive training program for students from around the world to meet, learn from, and
network with leaders in the field of live entertainment who are committed to sharing their experience
with the next generation. SILV has evolved into a partnership with industry friends who donate their
time, their gear, their studios, workshops, rehearsal spaces and arrange for students to see examples of
cutting edge design and technology. Summer 2016 master classes include Rigging, Digital Drafting
SFX, Automation, and “Movers, Media and Rock-n-Roll.”
Jelena Antanasijevic, University of Connecticut, Costume
Erica Maholmes, West Chester University, Lighting
Caroline M. Trewet, Northwestern College, Production and Media Design
Christy Choi, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Lighting
Christine Parrella, Southern Connecticut State University, Lighting
Lacelynn Lites, University of Southern Mississippi, Properties
Isabel Samuel, Salem State University, Lighting
Matthew Benes, University of Nebraska-Kearney, Rigging
Nicholas J. Kanderis, Montclair State University, Sound Design
Caroline Frias, Florida International University, Costume
Wesley Tolson, Clemson University, Sound Design
Alexandra Durham, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Sound Design
Scott Cavallo, Suffolk County Community College, Scenery
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Brian Burt, Gonzaga University, Scenery
Monica Bowker, California State University, Chico, Lighting
Jackson Bernhardt, University of West Georgia, Lighting
Matthew Wilhelm, University of Oklahoma, Scenery and Lighting
The National Partners of the American Theater Award for Design Excellence
This award is presented to one of the Design Award finalists, and is funded by members of the National
Partners, many of whom are present or former members of the KCACTF National Committee. The
Design Excellence Award is co-sponsored by the Korean National University of the Arts (KNUA) and
the award recipient will spend an all-expenses-paid week in Seoul, Korea visiting theater design and
traditional arts classes, various design studios, and attending performances. This year’s recipient will be
selected by National Partners of the American Theatre founding members Lin Conaway and Andy
Gibbs.
KCACTF Stage Management Fellowships
These fellows attend the national festival in Washington, D.C. as recognition for their outstanding
achievement in stage management at the regional festivals. The 2016 recipients are:
Patrick-Anthony Surillo, Dean College
Rebecca Roeber, East Stroudsburg University
Rachel Kaplow, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Liana Sierra, Florida International University
Shannon Rourke, St. Ambrose University
Emily Burke, University of Oklahoma
Emily Melgard, University of Idaho
Jaclyn Drummond, Fort Lewis College
The KCACTF Leadership in the Arts Fellowship
The following students have excelled in Arts Leadership within their home regions and will be in residence at
the National Festival, part of a pilot program in association with the League of Resident Theatres’ Diversity
Initiative. They will be mentored by Curt Columbus, Artistic Director of Trinity Repertory Company in
Providence, Rhode Island, and with the student leadership of Josiah Hernandez, Angelo State University.
During their time in Washington they will meet with leading arts administrators in the community, including
Edgar Dobie at Arena Stage and the President of the Kennedy Center, Deborah F. Rutter, and her senior staff.
Viguens Louis, LaGuardia Community College
Samantha Putko, Stonehill College
Caitlin White, Western Connecticut State University
Sapphire Johnson, West Chester State University
Krista Grevas, College of Charleston
Sarah Hinz, University of Minnesota-Duluth
James Macon Grant, Texas Tech University
The LMDA Dramaturgy Award in Association with the Association for Theater in Higher Education
This award is the result of a unique collaboration between Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the
Americas (LMDA), the Association for Theater in Higher Education (ATHE), and KCACTF. The
winner of the LMDA Dramaturgy Award will receive a one-year membership in LMDA, and will be
considered for a residency at the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, the Playwrights’ Center in
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Minneapolis, the Kennedy Center, or the National New Play Network’s MFA Playwrights’ Workshop.
The 2016 nominees are:
Gemma F. De Leon, University of Oregon
Lauren Chapman, James Madison University
Carrie Winship, University of Missouri
Ryan Connelly, Bridgewater State University
Derrick Turner, Eastern Michigan University
The Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy Scholarship
At each of the KCACTF regional festivals, students participated in the Institute for Theater
Journalism and Advocacy. This name reflects the Kennedy Center’s interest in developing articulate,
highly informed, and well-trained arts journalists who can advocate for excellence in the arts in print,
web-based, or broadcast media. Four regional finalists were selected to attend the KCACTF National
Festival to participate in a series of master classes and symposia on dramaturgy and theater criticism.
One national scholarship recipient will receive a full fellowship to attend the Eugene O’Neill Theater
Center in Waterford, Connecticut during its National Playwrights’ Conference in July 2016, working
with leading professional newspaper and magazine critics from across the United States. The 2016
finalists are:
Emily C. Schoenbeck, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University
Alix Rosenfeld, Villanova University
Joanna Buchholz, Linfield College
Kelly Grandjean, Texas Tech University
EDUCATION AT THE KENNEDY CENTER
The Kennedy Center retains its commitment as the nation’s cultural center to educating and enlightening
children and adults in Washington and around the country. The Center’s national education programs
include: Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child, which works with 20 municipalities and their school
districts around the country to develop a long-range strategic plan for arts education; ARTSEDGE, a
website that offers standards-based materials for use in and out of the classroom; Partners in Education,
which forges relationships between an arts organization and its neighboring school systems to build
effective arts education programs for teachers and teaching artists; Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts
Education Network, works with 30 state organizations on arts education policy issues; Explore the Arts,
which provide insight into the cultural and historical context of the works presented on stage and sparks
dialogue between audiences and the artists who have created the performances through participatory
workshops, demonstrations, panels, master classes, and open rehearsals; and the Kennedy
Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards, which acknowledge teachers of grades K-12
whose efforts have made a significant impact on their students; and Kennedy Center Theater for Young
Audiences on Tour, which brings original Kennedy Center productions for students and families into
communities and performing arts centers around the country.
In and around D.C., the Kennedy Center’s programs include Changing Education Through the
Arts, a program that works with seven schools in the area to affect long-term change in school culture
through professional learning in arts integration; Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers,
which trains Washington-area educators to teach the arts or other subject areas through the arts; and
Washington, D.C. Partnership Schools, where the Center provides resources and teaching artist
residencies to 22 elementary, junior, and senior high schools in Washington, D.C. The Center also
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mounts more than 100 events and performances of theater, music, dance, and opera throughout the
season for more than 100,000 local school-aged children.
In addition, the Center offers multiple skill development programs for young artists and
professionals both locally and nationally, including the National Symphony Orchestra’s Youth
Fellowship Program, Summer Music Institute, and High School Competition; Washington National
Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, Opera Institute, and Kids Create Opera Partnership;
the biennial New Visions/New Voices forum for development of new plays for young people; Exploring
Ballet with Suzanne Farrell; Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead; VSA’s Playwright Discovery Program, Young
Soloists, and Visual Arts Programs; arts administration internships; and the Kennedy Center American
College Theater Festival which impacts hundreds of thousands of college-aged theater students across
the country and marks its 48th anniversary in 2016.
FUNDING CREDITS
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, part of the Rubenstein Arts Access Program, is
generously funded by David and Alice Rubenstein.
Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the John F. Kennedy
Center of the Performing Arts’ Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
Additional support is provided by The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein; the Blanche and
Irving Laurie Foundation; the Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; Beatrice and Anthony Welters
and the AnBryce Foundation.
Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of
the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the
President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.
For more information, please visit
Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
Discover the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival on social media:
#KCACTF16
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PRESS CONTACTS
Brittany Laeger
(202) 416-8445
[email protected]
Stephanie Stohler
(202) 416-8446
[email protected]
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