UCM Theatre and Dance Receives Awards at 2021 Region V Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival

WARRENSBURG, MO – Theatre and Dance faculty and staff members at the University of Central Missouri attended the virtual Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Jan. 16-23, and were recognized for excellence in multiple areas.

KCACTF invited two UCM productions, “Tilikum,” a play by Kristiana Rae Colón and directed by guest director Dréa Lewis, that was produced and performed in a virtual setting, and “Iconic” a multi-media, outdoor, song and dance review, directed by Ashley Miller-Scully and choreographed by UCM student choreographers, Miller-Scully, Spinning Tree Theatre and Amy Gilchrist. Being an invited production is one of the top honors provided to universities by KCACTF and is a rare occurrence when a university has multiple invited productions.

 

In addition to the invited productions, UCM Theatre and Dance student directors, technical directors, stage managers and performers were recognized for their “Creative, Effective and Positive Delivery of Student Work” for their studio productions.

 

UCM Theatre and Dance student Sabrina Ortiz also was selected to be the Region V representative at the National Festival for the KCACTF Aspire/LORT (League of Resident Theatres Arts Leadership Fellowship). According to the KCACTF website, it is a program designed to cultivate a new generation of artistic and administrative leaders for American theatre, and is focused on engaging Black, Indigenous and People of Color as well as members of other groups that are consistently underrepresented in the field.

 

For the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships, Lacy Goettling and Emily Layt reached the final round of the scholarship audition process and Emily Layt was awarded the Classical Acting Award for her performance in the semi-final round.

 

Emily Layt also received Honorable Mention for the Student Dramaturgy Award for her digital lobby display from “Tilikum.”

 

The following student and faculty choreographers received Certificates of Merit for their work on” Iconic”: Ashley Miller-Scully, Amy Gilchrist, Karlee Etter, Carly Othic, Christina Foster, Ashton Bennett, Eleanor Panico and Valerie Ruggle. Additionally, Sabrina Ortiz received a Certificate of Merit for her dramaturgical work on “Iconic.”