Several Southwestern College students and faculty were recognized for excellence at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Sioux Fall, S.D., Jan. 19-25.  Region V comprises Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri.

Southwestern College theatre and musical theatre received several Meritorious Commendations:

“Into The Woods” – Jennifer Hemphill for direction and directorial concept, Emma Bate for stage management, and the cast for ensemble performance

“Ordinary Days” – Allyson Moon for direction, Aidan Wells Filbert for musical direction, Tori Sublett for sound design and execution, and the cast for ensemble performance

“Eurydice” – Joshua Robinson for direction, Aidan Wells Filbert for original score composition, Carson Davis for scenography, the cast for ensemble performance, and the production for participation in the Invited Scene Showcase

 “These students and their accomplishments are a clear indication of the investment that SC students make in their liberal arts grounded, performing arts education,” says Allyson Moon, director of the theatre program at Southwestern.  “Their theatre study provides them with a variety of ways to express themselves – performance, design, creative writing, management - and they have taken full advantage of those opportunities, developing their abilities to be the very best that they can be.  That quality of work was rewarded all week long at the festival.”

Emily Robinson auditioned and was cast in the 10-Minute Original Play Readings.  More than 100 students auditioned.

Hannah Breshears and partner, Katie Miller; Maya Damron and partner, Lizzy Santana; and Jamieson Campo and partner, Telara Day participated in the Irene Ryan Scholarship Acting Competition.  More than 300 Irene Ryan nominees and their partners were in the competition.   All individuals participating are required to be nominated by a visiting respondent to the production or the director.

Nine of the eleven students who participated in the professional auditions and interviews received callbacks.  Most of the students will be submitting additional performance or technical skills information in order to secure employment.  The students who auditioned or interviewed include Hannah Breshears, Jamieson Campo, Merie Campo, Raynee Case, Maya Damron, Telara Day, Carson Davis, Brynn Hampton, Shawn Knepper, Emily Robinson, and Lizzy Santana.  The companies that called them back include Prairie Repertory Theatre, Brownville Village Theatre, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Black Hills Playhouse, Santa Fe Opera, and Emporia State University Summer Theatre. 

Josh Robinson, assistant professor of musical theatre, and Whit Emerson, affiliate faculty member, participated in a respondent training session in order to prepare them to respond to productions in Region 5.  Emerson also presented two stage combat workshops. 

Moon served as a faculty respondent for the preliminary round of the Irene Ryan Acting Competition.