Thursday, January 22, 2009
More than 1,600 theater students from nearly 100 Midwest colleges are on campus and in Lawrence this week for a theater festival that hasn’t been at the University of Kansas for 20 years.
Spencer Holdren, Topeka senior, celebrates with his acting partner Spencer Lott, Lawrence junior, during the preliminary judging at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival on Monday afternoon at Murphy Hall. The five-day festival provides college theater students with the opportunity to improve their skills and compare their performances with others in their fields.
For the first time since 1989 the University is hosting the annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for Region 5.
The festival, which began Sunday and ends Saturday, includes performances, workshops and competitions in acting, design and other categories.
“It’s a celebration of American college theater,” Jim Peterson, technical director for University Theatre, said.
The festival takes place in Murphy Hall and in several locations around Lawrence, including the Lied Center and the Lawrence Arts Center.
Participants are expected to bring $1.1 million to the local economy, Peterson said. The participants come from colleges in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Peterson said more than 125 students, faculty and staff in the department of theatre and film had been planning the festival for more than a year and were volunteering at events, workshops and performances throughout the week. Some of the KU student volunteers are also competing during the festival.
“It’s a very exciting event to gather that many students, faculty and staff in all academic disciplines and bring them all together for this big celebration,” Peterson said.
Spencer Holdren, Topeka senior, is both a volunteer and a participant in the festival. He is one of 12 KU students participating in the Irene Ryan Competition, an acting competition named after the actress who played “Granny” on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
Holdren and his acting partner, Spencer Lott, Lawrence junior, performed a three-minute scene from the 1980s play “Eastern Standard” for judges in Monday’s preliminary round.
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More Information
What: The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for Region 5
Who: More than 1,600 participants from nearly 100 colleges in the Midwest
Where: Murphy Hall, the Lied Center, the Lawrence Arts Center and other locations in Lawrence
When: Jan. 18-23
How much: Members of the public can participate in the festival by registering at the Holiday Inn Holidome, 200 McDonald Dr. A person must pay the $30 daily registration fee to attend the shows and workshops for that day.
Out of the 308 students competing in the preliminary round, Holdren and Lott were one of 64 groups to advance to Wednesday’s semifinal round. They performed an additional two-minute scene from “The Importance of Being Earnest” for judges Wednesday night and are one of 16 groups that will advance to the final round on Friday. Erik LaPointe, Kansas City, Mo., senior, also made it to the final round.
“It’s really cool to get to share your work with other people that wouldn’t normally be able to see it and to see other people perform,” Holdren said. “It’s exhilarating but extremely nerve-wracking at the same time.”
Jack Wright, professor of theater and film who is coaching the KU students in the competition, said the top participants in each competition category at the end of the week will go to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in April to represent Region 5 at the national competition.
“It’s a great activity for college students and it gives students the chance to see performances from students in different states,” Wright said.
Liz Banks, Dallas graduate student, is another student volunteer and is also participating in a lighting design competition. She said the festival provided a networking opportunity for theater students and gave them the chance to start making job contacts. She said it was also good for KU students to see the work of other students.
“It’s always important to see what other students are doing so you can learn from their successes and mistakes,” Banks said.
The festival has even received attention from the governor and other notable figures. Katherine Pryor, managing director of University Theatre, said Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Gregg Henry, the artistic director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will attend a dinner sponsored by Chancellor Robert Hemenway celebrating the culmination of the festival on Friday.
The public can participate in the festival by going to the Holiday Inn Holidome, 200 McDonald Dr., and paying a $30 fee to register for a day of the festival. Once registered, a person can attend shows and workshops for that day.
— — Edited by Susan Melgren
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