Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Beckons

Cal State Fullerton Students Competing at National Level

April 7, 2009

Heading to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., are award-winning Cal State Fullerton students who will be representing Cal State Fullerton’s Department of Theatre and Dance at the April 13-19 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

The students secured their place at the festival during the regional competition held in February at Cal State Fullerton. The Region VIII festival attracted 1,500 students from universities throughout the West.

The national festival is welcoming the following Cal State Fullerton students:

• Joe Holbrook of Buena Park, a graduate student majoring in theatre arts-design and technical production, in the scenery design category
• Kevin Slay of Brea, a graduate student majoring in theatre arts-directing, in the directing category
• LaTasha Tobias of Rancho Cucamonga, graduate student majoring in art-illustration, in the lighting design category. At the regional festival, she received the Barbizon Award for Design Excellence in Lighting Design for work on “As You Like It.”
• Meredith Hinckley of Santa Ana (with acting partner Paul Collins of Santa Ana) and Adam Navarro of Costa Mesa (with partner Courtney Howe of Rancho Santa Margarita) are Irene Ryan Acting Competition regional winners and national finalists, and all are majoring in theater arts.

At the regional festival, Theresa Elliott of Fallbrook was awarded “Directing Alternate.” Named Irene Ryan Acting Competition alternates: Ben Lambert of Santa Ana (and acting partner LeShawn Holcomb of Fullerton); all are majoring in theatre arts.

As part of the regional festival, awards also were presented to these theatre arts majors:

• Lindsey Gassaway of Anaheim, Region VIII Design Award for Scenery Design for “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” and Meritorious Achievement in Technical Direction for “Night of the Iguana”
• Debbie Dufour of Santa Ana, Meritorious Achievement in Costume Design for “As You Like It”
• Monica French of Pomona, Meritorious Achievement in Makeup Design
• Siobahnne Tyler of Yorba Linda, Meritorious Achievement in Technical Direction

Cal State Fullerton theatre majors named Irene Ryan Acting Competition finalists:

• Kirsten Kuiken of Santa Ana (with acting partner Monica Bergstrand of Fresno)
• Brian Rickel of Fullerton (with acting partner Collin Hurst of West Hollywood)

The students named semifinalists:

• Layne Allsup of Turlock (acting partner Brian Prugalidad of Placentia)
• Luke Jacobs of El Cajon (acting partner Kaitlyn Etter of Claremont)
• Jesse Abeel of Ramona (acting partner Jason Oles of Fullerton)
• Elizabeth Lam Nguyen of Garden Grove (acting partner Marissa Massie of Napa)

In addition, CSUF Theatre and Dance Department faculty member Maria Cominis was awarded an Excellence in Education Award, and Eve Himmelheber, assistant professor of theatre and dance, was inducted as a regional Faculty Fellow for exceptional service to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

James R. Taulli, associate professor of theatre and dance, chaired the regional festival, and Debra Lockwood, associate professor of theatre and dance, served as conference coordinator.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, launched in 1969, is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide. It has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of the nation’s college theater programs. The program has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents.