Sedalia, Missouri – Feb. 10, 2021 – State Fair Community College Theatre Arts students and staff received commendations and nominations at the annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) for Region 5 that was held virtually in January. Region 5 includes colleges and universities in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
The KCACTF awarded two commendations for the show “The Diviners” performed at SFCC. The cast received the Ensemble Performance commendation, and SFCC staff Kimberlie Windle received the Costume Design commendation.
Students who received Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominations were Ben Brewer of Strafford, Aren Goodwin of Warrensburg, Jenna Spear of Coffeyville, Kansas, Annie Henson of Clever, and Kylie Gaunt of Nixa. Students participated in virtual auditions.
The Irene Ryan Acting Foundation scholarships provide recognition, honor and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education. Ryan, an American actor, had a successful career in vaudeville, radio and film before taking on the role of Daisy “Granny” Moses on the hit TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies” in 1962 at age 59. She died in 1973.
SFCC alumna, Lauren Dowell who is a student at the University of South Dakota participated in the festival and received two awards for her work. She won the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas National Scholarship for her set design coursework on “The Tempest” and, for the second time, the National Stage Management Fellowship for her stage management work on “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder!”
KCACTF is a national theater program involving 18,000 students annually from colleges and universities across the country. Since its inception, KCACTF has given more than 400,000 college theater students the opportunity to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills and receive national recognition for excellence. More than 16 million theatergoers have attended approximately 10,000 festival productions nationwide (source: www.kennedy-center.org).
