The time of year has come again for the St. Ambrose Theatre Department to prepare its competitive spirit for another year at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). The theatre-packed week will take place in Des Moines, IA from January 21-27. Many SAU students have started preparations and registered for the variety of competitions and workshops held at Region 5's Festival 50, which is themed "Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion."
Preview showings of SAU students' events in the 2018 festival will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, December 14, and Thursday, January 18, in Allaert Auditorium. The SAU Theatre Department welcomes the public to view the showings, so come on out, give some notes, and show some love and support for the department!
KCACTF is filled with a variety of theatrical opportunities for college students from around the region. The competitive events include:
- Irene Ryan acting competition for students nominated by a respondent Musical Theatre Intensive in which students perform songs from musicals
- Professional Auditions
- Student Directors and Choreographers in which students direct 10-minute scenes
- Stage Crew Showdown
- Stage Management
- National Critiques Institute
- Costume Parade
SAU has participated in all these competitions and others throughout the years. This year, seniors Megan Clarke, Brian Leibforth, and Sam Jones along with junior Sarah Goodall have been nominated to participate in the Irene Ryan Acting competition, and two more students will be nominated by a respondent after SAU's production of Cinderella in December.
In addition, Leibforth and Jones will direct 10-minute scenes for the SDC competition, and senior Kayla Lansing and Clarke will participate in professional auditions. Senior Hannah Donovan will participate in the Stage Management challenge.
The SAU tech team for the Stage Crew Showdown and MTI participants will be determined after upcoming auditions.
"The most challenging part is trying to prepare all the things needed to participate," said Lansing, a 2017 Irene Ryan nominee. "Also, it is a full, intensive week of theatre."
For most of the competitive events, an SAU faculty member or the SAU Theatre Department must endorse student participants. Students must also have practice times with a theatre professor before the festival and must show their submission(s) at two designated showings that are open to the public. "At KCACTF, you see a whole bunch of other people who challenge you to be better," Lansing said. "It shows you how competitive the real world is."
"I think KCACTF allows for individuals to experience theatre in a way that introduces them to other people who are as passionate as they are," said Clarke, a 2018 Irene Ryan nominee.
In addition to the competitive events, KCACTF hosts many non-competitive performances and a wide variety of workshops on topics ranging from directing to designing to dancing to auditioning. The week's schedule allows students to completely immerse themselves in theatre. "It increases the ante of the school's profile and is a great opportunity to play with the big boys," said Dr. Johnson, SAU Theatre Department Festival Coordinator. "I feel it is an important opportunity for our students to experience and to showcase their work."
In past years, students have received job offers, met future co-workers, and worked with experienced professors and theatre professionals thanks to KCACTF.
Last year, SAU had three Irene Ryan nominees -- Jordan McGinnis with partner Jessica Karolczak, Jordan Webster-Moore with partner Megan Clarke, and Becca Brazel with partner Jonathon "JJ" Johnson -- advance to semi-finals.
McGinnis and Webster-Moore and their partners then performed in finals, and McGinnis and his partner received fourth place in the competition.
Also, student directors Rachael Pribulsky and Max Moline advanced to semi-finals in SDC, and Moline went to finals and received second place. Nick Pearce was recognized for his dramaturgy in SAU's production of The Tempest. In addition, Dr. Johnson received the Gold Medallion, the highest honor in theatre education the festival can give.
SAU began participating in KCACTF in 1991 when Dr. Corinne Johnson took a single Irene Ryan nominee and partner to the festival after her own beneficial experience at the festival as a student and Irene Ryan nominee. Students from SAU have participated in and reaped the benefits of the festival ever since. The festival's location changes every two years, and new workshops and events are continually added to the festival experience.
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