For the fourth consecutive year, students from Colorado State University’s theater program took home major awards at the regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, held in Arcata, Calif. Feb. 14-18, 2011.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a national theater program, with over 18,000 participants annually, and according to the organization’s website, “[KCACTF] has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States.”

Faculty and students representing the department traveled to Humboldt State University last week for the annual conference, winning six awards in five categories – the most of any university in the seven stage region.

For the third year in a row, CSU students will return to Washington, D.C. in April to compete at the prestigious Kennedy Center national conference; three students were invited to the competition, besting CSU’s record set in the 2009.

Award Recipients

Luke Peckinpaugh (CSU ’11) won the coveted Irene Ryan Acting Award out of 408 actors, and an invitation to attend the Kennedy Center national conference competition. Luke won regional nominations from CSU productions of All My Sons by Arthur Miller (Joe Keller), and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Dale Wasserman, adapted from the novel by Ken Kesey (Randal Patrick Murphy). Luke did scenes from Lone Star by Jim McLure, and A Prayer for My Daughter by Thomas Babe, as well as a startling monologue from Utopian Highway by Chuck Mee. Luke is a great nephew of film director Sam Peckinpah.

Luke’s competition partner was Jeff Garland (CSU '12), who will also attend the national conference.

Meghan Gray (CSU ‘10) won Best Lighting Design for her design for the CSU production of Polaroid Stories by Naomi Iizuka. She will attend the national conference in April. Meghan received a sound design award at the 2009 KCACTF.

Scott Sharp (CSU '11) won the Mark Twain Award for Comedy with a scene from Fubar by Karl Gadjusek, a scene from The Scene by Theresa Reebeck, and a monologue "Sigmund Fraud" which he wrote. Scott's partner was Willa Bograd (CSU '14).

Parker Stegmaier (CSU '13) won a Meritorious Certificate for his sound design for the CSU production of Dog Sees God, by Bert V. Royal.

Seth Walter (CSU '10) won a Meritorious Certificate for his stage management of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Meghan Connor (CSU '13) won a callback to a prestigious Bay Area Shakespeare Festival.

“Not a bad week for CSU Theatre,” exclaimed Walt Jones, co-director of the CSU Division of Theatre and Dance.

Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival 2012

Colorado State University will host the 2012 regional KCACTF on Feb. 13-18. Over 1,200 participants are expected to attend the weeklong event being held at the University Center for the Arts and the Hilton Hotel.

Image 1: Seth Walter, Scott Sharp, Willa Bograd, Jeff Garland, Parker Stegmaier, Meghan Gray, Luke Peckinpaugh