March 1, 2007 -- University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance faculty and
students received top honors at last week's Region VII Kennedy Center/American College
Theatre Festival (KC/ACTF) and Northwest Drama Conference in Pasco, Wash.
UW actors swept the KC/ACTF Region VII Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition,
picking up their 10th and 11th regional wins. Six of 16 finalists were from UW, as
were both Region VII Irene Ryan winners, seniors Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako of Laramie,
and Cheyenne Christian of Mitchell, Neb. This marks the first time both Region VII
winners have come from the same university.
Nako and Christian will advance to the national KC/ACTF April 17-23 at the John F.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Nako won the Region VII Musical Theatre Award for the second straight year. Junior
Anna Brownsted, Dallas, Texas, won the prestigious William Inge Festival Student Directing
Award. Her scene featuring six UW students will be performed in Independence, Kan.,
at the William Inge home. Brownsted was one of six students chosen to direct for the
10-minute play competition at the regional festival and is first alternate to direct
a winning 10-minute play at the national festival.
Second bachelor's degree candidate Leann Torske of Casper was the Region VII one-act
play winner for her piece, "Three-Legged Dog." Of the eight KC/ACTF regions nationwide,
four regional one-act play and four 10-minute play winners will be selected to compete
in April's national competition.
Torske's play also is a finalist for the John H. Cauble Short Play Award recognizing
the top student-written short plays produced by colleges and universities nationwide.
Brownsted's one-act play, "The Rumble Strip," earned second place for the regional
short play award, while "Kosher Romance Gestapo" by Amy Hollon of Los Angeles, Calif.,
took third.
Also, Professor of Theatre and Dance Leigh Selting earned the Faculty Directing Fellowship
to attend the national festival. He will mentor the student directors for the original
one-act and 10-minute plays.
Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007
