Ten of our theatre students and Dr. Greg Fiebig, professor of human communication studies, recently participated in The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Madison, Wisconsin. This week-long festival offers workshops, networking opportunities and nightly performances.
Five of our students were nominated to compete for the Irene Ryan Scholarship because of their performances in IWU’s 2018 theatre season. The nominated students were Austin Hendricks, Eily Hite, Aaron Budde, Kristen Lintvedt and Blake Churchill. Each student had the opportunity to perform a monologue and a duet scene with an acting partner.
Dr. Katie Wampler, associate professor of theatre, said, “It’s an honor to be nominated to go to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. We send students there as an opportunity for people to see their work and to meet with other college students.”
Here’s what some of our students have said about their experience:
Bailey Hunt, junior: “Above everything, going to KCACTF is one of the best opportunities for theatre majors—whether technical or performance-based—to learn about their craft. You get to meet so many different people from different schools with different perspectives, so networking is big. Between completing, seeing other universities’ shows and sitting in on workshops, it’s just a really incredible experience!”
Austin Hendricks, junior: “The week was full of workshops, ranging from technical theatre to performance, to pursuing a master’s degree in theatre history and much more. It also included watching several shows from around the region, including “Red Velvet,” “Up and Away” and “The Laramie Project.” In addition, there were dozens of designs from students our age and in our field of study, many of which were inspiration for our own designs. I found myself networking as much as I could. I made tons of friends while I was there and really gained a lot of knowledge and skills.”
Kylie Adams, freshman: “Since it was my first year going to KCACTF, I didn't really know what to expect. The festival itself was beyond what I could've hoped for in terms of exposure to types of theatre that I hadn't given much thought to before. The shows that we saw left the audience and me to be a little more reflective on what it means to be human.”
Eily Hite, junior: “I had an amazing week in Madison at KCACTF. I saw so many fabulous, inspiring shows. The conference was full of workshops about theatre professions, ranging from acting to costume design. I was so moved after my week at KCACTF to become a better supporter of my brothers and sisters in the arts. I felt the strong spirit of community as I worked among hundreds of college students who are also pursuing careers in the theatre. I am so thankful for the opportunity to compete and learn at KCACTF.”
