Several students from the University of Idaho Department of Theatre Arts may travel to Washington, D.C., for the 2012 National Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in April.
Kelly Quinnett, associate acting professor at UI, helped organize the regional competition during February in Colorado.
“I’m kind of like the mom on the field trip, but it’s so much more than that,” Quinnett said. “Our students are so great. The work they do here is just wonderful.”
Many students won awards at the regional competition, though not all of them will be able to travel to the national stage.
Quinnett said the students who will most likely travel to D.C. are Emily McQuarrie, Chris Mueller, Rachel Rosenfeld, Will Tedrow, Lauren Simon and Anne Staats. These students won awards in scene design, costume design, directing, playwriting and theater journalism.
Mattie Rydalch, a UI alumna who graduated in May 2011, was selected as a semifinalist for her 10-minute play “Why’s That Flag Here?”
“This was the first 10-minute play I’ve ever had that’s been nominated,” Rydalch said. “It’s about a father and son who bond over an argument they have with a waitress.”
McQuarrie won the Focal Press/Rafael Jaen Showcase Award for her costume designs. Mueller will compete with his work in scenic design on “Good Person of Szechwan” by Bertolt Brecht. Rosenfeld was selected for her direction of a scene from “Spain” by Jim Knable and is also the first alternate for the Irene Ryan Acting scholarship. Tedrow won the Kennedy Center Design Meritist Acheivement Award, and Simon won the Region VII nomination for the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award. Staats was selected for nationals based on her review of a production of the play “US” at the regional competition.
Simon was granted the region VII award for her play, “Adoration of Dora,” chronicling the life of Pablo Picasso’s mistress, Dora Maar.
“That’s an amazing talent right there, and our production was something else … just unbelievably breathtaking,” Quinnett said. “This play was based on this exploration of finding oneself or not finding oneself because being adored by a famous artist was much more important. And we still struggle with that as women, how we identify who we are. I was really drawn to that play when I read it.”
Quinnett said there is a good chance the UI students will bring home awards from the national conference.
“They’re all going to win, let’s just say that. I’ve got my bets on all of them,” Quinnett said. “We’re always so privileged to be in the presence of our students, but when they’re validated by these awards it’s wonderful for us too.”
Rydalch said the regional and national competitions are a great opportunity for everyone.
“There’s events in acting, texts, station management, directing, playwriting, all sorts of things. It’s really good to get together with other artists and also to meet people from other school is just really rewarding,” Rydalch said. “I worked with a lot of people at UI, and being able to go back and see them is really cool.”
Quinnett said the Kennedy Center American Theatre Competition is an amazing opportunity for students, and was responsible for jumpstarting her own career.
“I’m speaking on behalf of my colleagues too, we’re just so proud of our students,” Quinnett said. “It’s just one of the bravest things to do, to be an actor, to be a designer, to be a dramaturge, just to creatively express yourself takes incredible courage.”