UCA Theatre?s production of The Pillowman, by Martin McDonagh, recently was honored with awards at the Arkansas Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).
The Pillowman won both the Respondent?s Choice Award and Director?s Choice Award at the festival, which was held Nov. 6-10 at UCA. The award for Excellence in Directing went to Chris Fritzges, who directed UCA’s production, and the award for Excellence in Scene Design went to Shannon Suit, a UCA Theatre student.
The production will now be considered for presentation at the Region VI KCACTF festival to be held at Sam Houston State University in February.
UCA Theatre students also received individual awards. Louis Buehling of Little Rock received the Best Stage Crew Award, Stephanie Duncan of Little Rock received an Excellence in Acting award for her role in The Pillowman, and Josh Miller of Mena, Aaron Holt of Hot Springs, and Buehling all received Irene Ryan nominations for their roles in the production.
Corey Clifford of North Little Rock and Kyle Smiley of Rogers received Irene Ryan nominations for their work in UCA Theatre?s production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile presented earlier this year. Pammi Fabert of Conway and Erica Summers of Cabot also received Irene Ryan nominations for their roles in All My Sons presented last April. These students will now compete against approximately 400 other students from Region VI for a chance to win the Irene Ryan National Scholarship and appear at the Kennedy Center. UCA Theatre has had three students appear at the Kennedy Center during the annual KCACTF national festival and has had one national winner, Nisi Sturgis of Conway.
The KCACTF encourages, recognizes and celebrates the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theatre programs across the country. Region VI includes Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico. Seven plays will be chosen from this five state area to perform at the Region VI festival at Sam Houston State University in February. The winner of the Region VI festival will be invited to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in April.
UCA Theatre has consistently been honored with awards through the KCACTF. The Theatre program has received the Director?s Choice, Respondent?s Choice, or Regional Committee Choice award in 10 of the past 12 years. Since 1997, three productions have been presented at the Region VI festival including “Royal Gambit,” “The Shape of Things,” and the original play “Adult American Males,” written by former Theatre student Graham Gordy.
