Parkside Theatre Golden at Festival

Published: February 3, 2015
By: Valerie Zahorski-Schmidt

Parkside Theatre Golden at Festival

The UW-Parkside Theatre Arts company had a great week at the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival! Parkside's production of Reasons to be Pretty was one of only seven, out of 30 entries, invited to perform in front of an audience of over 500 at the festival.

The company also won the prestigious Golden Hand Truck award for the best load-in (set up) and load-out (take down) of the scenery, lighting, costumes, and sound, among all the invited productions.

Several Parkside students earned recognition for their amazing work.

Tayler Varney (junior) won the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Award for her Into the Woods wolf costume design and construction. The award is a one-week paid intensive workshop at the professional training institute in Las Vegas, working with industry professionals from organizations such as Cirque du Soleil and Disney. Tayler also received a Merit Award for Excellence in Scenic Design for It's a Wonderful Life.

Zachary Cooper (senior) earned a place as a John Cauble Short Play national semi-finalist for his original play, The Fast Nickel. This play is now one of only sixteen nationwide to be forwarded on to the Kennedy Center National Festival for consideration for the John Cauble playwriting award.

Two students earned Regional Design Project Finalist recognition: Kelliann Keeler (junior) for her costume design for Long Days Journey into Night, and Jazmin Medina (senior) for her costume design for Rashomon.

Robin Feltman (junior) earned a spot as an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions Regional Semi-Finalist, and Spencer Gray (senior) earned a spot as an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions Regional Semi-Finalist partner. Robin and Spencer advanced from a starting field of 800 students from around the region to a field of only 80 students in the semi-final round.

Alyssa Mowrer (junior) attended an open audition of over 100 students and was cast in one of the five one-act plays that were performed at the festival.

Anna Janicek (junior) received a Merit Award for Excellence in Sound Design, and Antonio Torrez (senior) received a Merit Award for Excellence in Scene Painting, for their work on Reasons to be Pretty. And,Laura Arnold (senior) received a Merit Award for Excellence in Stage Management for Taming of the Shrew.

In addition, Robin Feltmanj (junior), Eamonn Higgins (sophomore), and Jody Sekas (faculty) were invited to present a highly attended workshop: "Projection Mapping Non-Uniform Surfaces."

The Theatre Arts company is a part of the UW-Parkside College of Arts and Humanities. Congratulations to all!

Jazmin-explains-her-costume-design-to-the-judges Jim-Guy-modeling-Tayler's-Wolf-headpiece

Jazmin Medina presents her work to the judges (left), and judges try on Tayler Varney's wolf costume (right).


Kelliann-explains-her-costume-design-to-the-judges Jazmin-explains-her-costume-design-to-the-judges

Kelliann Keeler (left) and Jazmin Medina (right) explain their design concepts to the judges.

Lindsey-showing-off-her-immaculate-paperwork-for-load-in Jody-receiving-golden-handtruck-award

Lindsey Talbot (left) poses with her lighting plot next to the Reasons to be Pretty set, and Jody Sekas (right) proudly accepts the Golden Hand Truck onstage at the Pabst Theatre.

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