Mizzou theatre students take top honors at regional and national theatre festival

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July 25, 2024

University of Missouri Department of Theatre students excelled at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) regional and national competitions this year.

More than 30 theatre students, faculty and staff participated in the Region 5 KCACTF in Des Moines, Iowa. Several students advanced to nationals at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Attendees participated in hands-on workshops with theater professionals, watched theatrical productions, and connected with peers.

Here are a few of the standouts from this year's competition:

• From among the hundreds of productions in the seven-state region, Mizzou's production of "Thoughts of a Colored Man" by Keenan Scott II was one of the few selected to perform at the regional festival.
• Luca Freccia won the Region 5 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship and placed second, along with Dani Major, in the Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarship competition. Aaliyah Jones and acting partner Delaney Eischen were named semi-finalists in the Region 5 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition. Gabriel Levi and acting partner Reggie Coleman moved forward to the semi-finals in the Region 5 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition.

• Freccia also won the National Partners of the American Theatre Kathryn Robinson Classical Acting Award for his monologues from "Harvey" by Mary Chase and "The Flick" by Annie Blake.

• Delaney Eischen received the ASPIRE Award for Arts Administration for her creative proposal at the regional competition.

• Abby Uphoff was the second-place regional winner of the John Cauble Short Play Award for her play "American Girl(s)."

• Zach Alley, Mizzou Theatre Department technical director, earned the Golden Hand Truck Award for the most safe and professional load-in of a production at the festival.

• Haley Frazer was invited to share her scenic design, costume design, and forearm armor at the Design Expo.

• Elise Hawley earned the Safety Award in the Stage Crew Olympics.

• Gabriel Levi and Kaylah Janssen were finalists in the Region 5 Musical Theatre Intensive competition.

• Kasey Lynch was a finalist in the Directing Scenes Competition and received a commendation for directing for her work on "The Wolves."

• Dani Major received an honorable mention in the Musical Theatre Intensive competition by performing "I'm Breaking Down" from the musical "Falsettos."

• Symonne Sparks presented a workshop entitled "What Do You Want and How Can KCACTF Get You There?"

• Sara Wiley received recognition for Achievement in Dramaturgy for her project and essay on the spring MU Theatre Department production, "Radium Girls." Her play "Spring Cleaning" was a Gary Garrison Ten-Minute Play Region 5 finalist.

• Aeryn Yonke was invited to the Design Expo for her costume craft artisan double hennin, a headdress worn in the late Middle Ages by European women.

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