Utah State University's Theatre Arts Students Dominate Again

Students from Utah State University’s theatre arts department participated in the 39th annual Region Eight Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, held this year at Southern Utah University. The festival took place Feb. 13-17, and the USU students notched several top awards, continuing a tradition of award-winning theater work.

Region VIII draws from a far-ranging geographic area that includes California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa.

 

In the area of theatrical design, six Utah State students garnered awards at the festival, three of whom will represent the region’s university theater departments during the national competition at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in April.

 

Caress Bergado, who took top honors last year, will take her scene design for Anna in the Tropics to D.C., with Rayan Thurston accompanying her with costume designs for James and the Giant Peach. Kay Townsend, who was also a regional award winner last year, enters her sound design for Anna in the Tropics at the national competition.

 

A number of Utah State Theatre students earned regional design awards for excellence in theater design.

 

Anne Benson impressed judges with her costume design for Anna in the Tropics. Angelle Dean received the top regional award for properties design for Anna in the Tropics, and James Larsen received an honorable mention for his lighting design of Anna in the Tropics.

 

While many designers earned top marks for Utah State Theatre’s production of Anna in the Tropics, the production itself was welcomed to Southern Utah University as an entry into national competition. Judged earlier by a panel of regional judges, the production was invited to the conference. There, it was adjudicated again for the national conference.

 

Directed by Lynda Linford, Anna in the Tropics was first staged at Utah State in November and December 2006 before its revival at February’s festival. “Anna’s” performance at Southern Utah University was seen by more than 600 theatre festival goers. The production is still in consideration for the honor of traveling to Washington, D.C., in April.

 

“It is truly one of the great honors bestowed on university theater efforts by a nationally recognized professional theater operation,” Linford said of the ACTF honors. “This ‘Anna’ cast, which represents some of the best talent in our department, has now joined the ranks of the best talent in the region and country. Their deft portrait of Cruz’s work moved the festival audience. The standing ovation was acknowledgment of exquisite acting work well done.”

 

Theatre arts department head Colin Johnson is proud of USU’s accomplishments at the festival, both by the students and by the production of “Anna.”

 

“It is almost unprecedented for a student to win in consecutive years, but not quite,” Johnson said. “Cameron Roberts did this in 1996 and 1997 for her work in costuming. She went on to earn her MFA from Yale University. This year we have two repeaters — Kay Townsend and Caress Bergado. Kay actually won in two different fields: sound design this year and wigs and makeup last year.

 

“This year our acting students scored a major coup when three of our students in Anna in the Tropics were offered internships to the Actors Theatre of Louisville, one of America’s most prominent regional theaters. These were offered spontaneously, not on the basis of an audition, to Brandon Pearson, Leticia Minharo and Mark Wayne.”

 

Lindford said the apprenticeships at Actors Theatre of Louisville are among the premier post-graduate positions extended to new talent.

 

“The entire production of ‘Anna in the Tropics’ was supported by a truly professional design team, coordinated by a wonderful stage management duo of Tyler Moncur and Kate Earl,” Linford said. “Of all productions entered in the region’s production competition, Utah State University garnered more than half the awards. Kudos to a terrific team of professional performers in every area of theater production.”

 

For information on USU’s theater program, contact Johnson at (435) 797-3046.

 

 

Contact: Colin Johnson (435) 797-3046