ODU Theatre Program Receives National Recognition from Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
December 11, 2014
The Death of Thomas Edison, featuring (l-r) Brian Nedvin, Emel Ertugrul, John Cauthen and Edwin Castillo
India Tyrell and Noelle Peterson, share a moment in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
George Plank and Naire Poole, in The Outsider
In January, seven Old Dominion University student performers will be eligible to compete in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) for the prestigious Irene Ryan Scholarship, which provides recognition, honor and financial assistance to outstanding student actors wishing to pursue further education.
Additionally, eight students were invited to enter their work in national competitions for dramaturgy, stage management, design and technologies and five theatre faculty/staff members were nominated for Meritorious Achievement Awards of Excellence for their work in directing and design.
Since 1969 more than 400,000 college theater students have participated in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).
"KCACTF is one of the best experiences college students can have, and is at the same time one of the most prestigious in the country," said Katherine Hammond, director of Theatre at ODU. "We are honored with these students nominated for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. ODU is fortunate to have some of the most talented students in the state, both onstage and off, and it is exciting when we are able to share our work with the region."
ODU Theatre productions were invited to the regional festival in 2010 and 2011, both with the production teams of Katherine Hammond, Lee Smith, Elwood Robinson and Jennifer Baker.
The 2014 KCACTF nominees from ODU:
Irene Ryan Nominees for Performers
- Julian Blondell, The Outsider
- Nikki DeBrango, The Outsider
- Mark Stefani, Really, Really
- Marcus Bell, Really, Really
- Lucy Bonino, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
- Noelle Peterson, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
National Dramaturgy Nominations
- Kristi Caras for her work on The Death of Thomas Edison
National Stage Management Nominations
- Eugenia Mecicco, The Outsider
- Samantha Alonso, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
- Eugenia Mecicco, The Death of Thomas Edison
National Sound Design Nominations
- Jaren Hawkins, The Outsider
- Jaren Hawkins, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
National Lighting Design Nominations
- J. C. Nigh, The Outsider
- Derrion Hawkins, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
Allied Design and Technologies Nominations
- Samantha Jalajel, The Outsider
- Abigail Irizarry, The Death of Thomas Edison
Faculty Design Awards
- Lee Smith, The Outsider, set design
- Jim Lyden, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
- Elwood Robinson, The Death of Thomas Edison
- Jennifer Baker, The Death of Thomas Edison
Faculty Technologist Awards
- Katherine Hammond, The Death of Thomas Edison
Faculty Directing Awards
- Lee Smith, The Outsider
- Katherine Hammond, The Death of Thomas Edison
For more information on Theatre at ODU, visit www.odu.edu/al/theatre.