Students and faculty in the School of Performing Arts at Wichita State University won numerous awards in competitions at the Region 5 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Ames, Iowa Jan. 15-20.
The best news came home with Jacob January, a senior music theater major who was named Outstanding Music Theatre Actor. He is one of two regional winners who will compete in the national festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. January and his acting partner, senior music theater major Ross McCorkell, will travel to D.C. in April for the festival.
Successful year
Linda Starkey, director of the School of Performing Arts, said Wichita State’s participation in the acting competition, named for legendary actress Irene Ryan, was especially successful this year.
Thirty-one WSU students and faculty were among more than 1,500 attendees from universities in the six-state region. Participants attended workshops, competed in acting and design competitions, attended theater productions and auditioned for summer stock.
Out of 300 nominees in the acting competition’s preliminary round, Wichita State saw five students and their partners advance to the semi-final round: Matt Elliott and Claire Gerig; John Keckeisen and Rachel Wullenweber; January and McCorkell; Ariel Daly and McCorkell; and Emily Pirtle and partner Claire Gerig.
Out of 16 finalists, three were from Wichita State: January; Elliott; and Daly. January had received the Outstanding Music Theatre Actor in the semi-final round; Elliott won Outstanding Music Theatre Actor in the final round.
Starkey said three students making it to the final round and one winning is impressive for Wichita State, although WSU students have gone to national for sound design, costume/make-up design and special acting performance.
“This is the first time in my memory that we've had a student win the Irene Ryan Competition,” she said. “We're thrilled for Jacob.”
The festival will pay for January and his partner to go to Washington, D.C., where January will compete for scholarships and further recognition. Starkey will go along as accompanist/coach for the national competition.
Other WSU recognition included Certificates of Merit for: Kylie Jo Jennings for directing “For colored girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf," Amanda Bowman for sound design for “Assassins”; Will Johnson for lighting design for “Assassins”; Jordan Pohlman for stage management for “For colored girls…”; Ed Baker for sound design for “The 39 Steps”; Wayne Bryan as guest director for “Good News.”
In addition, the regional festival invited Wichita State to perform a scene from the spring 2010 production of Jennings’ production of "For colored girls…” that featured actresses Ashley Cravens and Esme Banuelos.
In other participation, faculty member Ed Baker served as regional respondent for Load-In/Load-out for Invited Productions. Faculty including Bret Jones, Baker, Danette Baker and Betty Monroe presented workshops. Monroe also supervised WSU’s participation in the KCACTF Costume Parade that featured costumes from “Assassins.” And Damian Padilla and Rachel Curtiss were cast in the Faculty Directing Showcase.