Feb. 21, 2006

Contact: Gordon Ovenshine: 724-738-4854; gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu

SRU THEATER MAJOR RECEIVES TWO AWARDS,

QUALIFIES FOR NATIONAL COMPETITION AT KENNEDY CENTER

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Michelle “Mickey” Cruikshank, a theater major at Slippery Rock University, recently won two make-up design awards at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival’s Region II competition. As a result, she is one of eight students nationwide invited to compete in the national make-up design championship in April at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Cruikshank, a senior from Ohio Township, received the Region II Make Up Design Award and the Region II Mehron Make Up Design Award for SRU’s production of “The Tempest.” The regional competition was held at SUNY-New Paltz.

Designs were appraised on quality, effectiveness, originality and rendering techniques, according to the festival Web site.

“This award has really opened my eyes on loving what you do every day and how that makes a huge difference in how you live your life,” Cruikshank said.

Cruikshank submitted before and after pictures of SRU actors, drawings and a visual display of her makeup work. The Mehron Award, named for the make up design company in New York City, included $100 of stage make up.

“Mickey has done several other designs for us and I always know she is going to come up with interesting and inspired designs for her characters,” SRU’s Rebecca Morrice, assistant professor of theater, said  “She is a talented visual artist and one of the reasons she won this award is that she is able to accurately convey in her renderings what her intended look is for each character.”

A representative from Mehron Company will select the national winner from among eight regional finalists. The winner receives paid trips to New York City and Los Angeles to see stage shows and admission to the National Make Up Artists Conference in Los Angeles.

#PN