HelmerichSchoolofDramaatOUReceivesRegionalAwards

NORMAN—StudentsfromthePeggyDowHelmerichSchoolofDramaatthe

UniversityofOklahomawonnumeroustophonorsattherecentRegion6KennedyCenter

AmericanCollegeTheatreFestivalinSanAngelo,Texas.

DramastudentsreceivedtophonorsintheIreneRyanActingcompetition;Design,

TechnologyandManagement;Dramaturgy;andPlaywritingcompetitions.Severalawards

includespecialinvitationstocompeteortrainatthenationalfestivalattheKennedyCenter

inWashington,D.C.,inApril.ThisyearEmilyBurke,CalleyLumanandDavidBallwillbe

headedtonationals.

TheKennedyCenterAmericanCollegeTheaterFestival(KCACTF)isanational

organizationthatexiststocelebratetheeducationalandcreativeprocessofuniversityand

collegetheatre.Thecenterpromotesprofessionalstandardsandprovidesstudentsand

facultywithopportunitiestobridgetheacademicandprofessionalworlds.Italsohonors

achievementsindiversityandexcellenceandencouragesexperiencesinallareasoftheatre.

Competingagainst172teamsfromacrosstheregion,HelmerichSchoolofDrama

studentsreceivedtopactingawards.CalleyLumanwithherpartnerDavidBallwonthetop

honorsinthefestivalwiththeIreneRyanActingScholarshipcompetition,whichprovide

recognition,honorandfinancialassistancetooutstandingstudentperformers.Kylie

AndersonwontheIreneRyanNationalFinalistrunner-upaward;Lumanalsowonthe

ClassicalActingAwardofExcellence;TommyStuartreceivedtheVocalExcellenceAward;

GabrielleReyeswontheBestIreneRyanPartnerinthepreliminaryround;andChristine

MirzayanreceivedtheLeeHicksAwardforBestPartnerinthefinalroundofcompetition.

IntheareaofDesign,TechnologyandManagement,OUDramastudentswonseveraltop

awards:EmilyBurke,NationalStageManagementFellowship,whichincludesaninvitation

totheKennedyCenter;EliseChristiansen,SPAMAwardforExcellenceinPropertiesDesign

forTheTrojanWomen;HannahZaraSimon,StudentDramaturgyRunner-upforThe

LaramieProject;ShannonEliseDavis,OutstandingAchievementinCostumeDesignfor

Arcadia;MatthewWilhelmandDylanLackey,StagecraftInstituteofLasVegasAwardfor

ExcellenceinTechnologyandDesign;andEliseChristiansen,AlliedDesignandTechnology

Award,whichcomeswithatriptoUnitedStatesInstituteforTheatreTechnology(USITT).

Forthethirdyear,HelmerichSchoolofDramaenteredinthePlaywritingcategory.

TaylerDanielsandDavidLindley,StudentDirectingInitiativeFinalists;MichaelBrigance,

CommendationforhisInvitedPlayReading(vote);andDylanLackey,ExcellenceinScenic

Technology.Receivingrecognitionfortheir10MinutePlaysareLoganSloanforFive,Six,

Seven,EightandKaytieRivkinforRonnieandBecca.

“WiththesupportofOUPresidentDavidL.Boren,RegentA.MaxWeitzenhoffer,and

DeanMaryMargaretHolt,theHelmerichSchoolofDramacontinuestoenjoyan

unprecedentederaofexcellencewithintheKennedyCenterAmericanCollegeTheatre

Festival,”saidTomHustonOrr,SchoolofDramadirector.“Ourstudentsandfacultyare

raisingthebareachyearforourregionalcompetition;theSoonerlegacyofexcellenceis

wellestablished."

FormoreinformationortoarrangeaninterviewpleasecontacttheHelmerich

SchoolofDramaofficeat(405)325-4021.