March 2019 College News

4 Andrew Heinrich’s play Instructions for Dancing 5 Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play featuring award- winning costume design by Ryan Sozzi 6 Rehearsals for What We Scream Underwater When No One Can Hear Us , a new play by Caitlin Turnage (left) 18 | March | College News by Tom Delbello (M.F.A., Directing 2019) and starred Emma Lenderman (B.F.A., Musical Teatre 2019) and John Fredrickson (B.F.A., Musical Teatre 2021). Te production was sponsored by a grant from the Stillwater Foundation and the Harrison New Works Commission. Te following Texas State writers have been recognized by the Kennedy Center American College Teatre National Festival: Daniel Miller , winner of the Musical Teatre Award for his musical Dylan Spencer’s Cat Obedience School ; Audrey Webb and Andrew Heinrich , both recognized with Distinguished Achievement Awards for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg National Student Playwriting Award for their plays Imagine Tat and Instructions for Dancing , respectively; Instructions for Dancing is also a Distinguished Achievement recipient for the Mark Twain Comedy Award; [4] Katie Svatek is a recipient of a Distinguished Achievement Award in the Best Undergraduate Play category for her play, Dust ; and Sidney Rushing is a recipient of a Distinguished Achievement Award in the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award category for his play, Zu’s Earth . Ryan Sozzi (M.F.A., Costume Design) won the Barbizon Award for Teatrical Design Excellence in Costume Design for Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play . [5 ] Jason Taylor (B.F.A., Technical Production) was awarded Meritorious Achievement in Sound Design (Barbizon Runner-Up) for his design for Cabaret . Maximillian Wallace (B.F.A., Technical Production) won the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Award for Excellence in Technology for his Projection Design for Speech and Debate . Ellen Greetham (B.F.A., Technical Production took the Excellence in Stage Management award for Te Rivals and Elizabeth Wood (B.F.A., Technical Production) won the Excellence in Scenic Art award for Cabaret . Twenty-three students from the Department of Teatre and Dance attended the Region VI Kennedy Center/ American College Teatre Festival in Abilene in late February. Winners in the one-act playwriting competition were undergraduate Katie Svatek for her play, Te Days of Rodinal and Film and M.F.A. student, Caitlin Turnage for her play, Hand Gestures . Katie also took home the National Partners in American Teatre Award (Regional Winner and National Finalist) for her play, Dust . Criminal Justice major, Jose Valdez , was a winner in the 10-minute category for his play, La Chica . Amy Evans (B.F.A., Technical Production) won the “Legacy Award” for her Lighting Design for How I Learned to Drive . What We Scream Underwater When No One Can Hear Us , a new play by Caitlin Turnage (M.F.A., Dramatic Writing) was produced in the PSH Studio Teatre in late February. [6] Te production was directed by second- year M.F.A. student, Allison Price , with lighting design by Alexandra Tomas (B.F.A., Technical Production), sound design by Ryan Middleton (B.F.A., Technical Production) and stage management by Connor Feagin (B.F.A., Technical Production). BroadwayWorld.com’s review of the production praised the writer for handling “sexuality and religion in a way that is incredibly truthful and joy to behold.” KTSW thought Turnage’s What We Scream “serves as a magnifying glass to some of society’s struggles” and noted the “heartfelt and sometimes gut-wrenching scenes between the characters.” BroadwayWorld.com also cited director Allison Price for “a stunning job leading her two actors into truly genuine performances.” Tey added, “A huge congratulation to the entire company for creating a piece that speaks to the soul of an experience that hundreds of people have had to face.” Te production ran from February 21 to the 24. THE TEMPEST M.F.A. Directing student, Bruce Turk , directed an all-female cast of Te Tempest , produced in the Patti Strickel Harrison Teatre in February. Te cast included Elizabeth Rees , Rachel Webb , Daniella Trevino , Amber Mawnde-Spytek , Jessica Healey , Cayla Primous , Julieanna Stolley , Emily Absher , Michaela Lamas , Aubrey Clyburn , Lydia Landrum , Payton Mayfeld , Lila Perlman , Matt Welborn , Taylor Aronson , Emily Edwards , Amanda Blake , Tayler Jenkins , Dana Mosbey , Lyssa Rumsey , Rachel Stevens , Jenna Weatherbie , and Sydney Quanz . Carlos Nine (M.F.A., Design) designed lights, Stacey Herrison (M.F.A., Design) designed costumes and B.F.A. Technical Production student, James Winnenberg , designed sound. Faculty member Cheri Prough DeVol designed the scenery. Hayes Richard (B.F.A., Technical Production) stage managed the show. Choreography was by Nicole Wesley (Dance Faculty), with musical direction by Myra Vassian (Music Faculty). Music was composed by Laura Brackney ( Music graduate student). Te KTSW review found, “ Te Tempest [to be] a whimsical experience that awakens and invigorates the senses. . . a siren’s call. Te production lures the viewer in and creates a magical air that enchants and excites.” College of Fine Arts and Communication | 19