Festivals and International Experiences

ACTF

The American College Theater Festival (ACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from 600 colleges in the United States, providing an opportunity for theater departments and student artists to showcase their work; receive outside assessment by festival respondents; network and collaborate with student artists from different programs across the country; and to study with professional theatre practitioners.

The SRU Theatre Department welcomes KCACTF respondents to most of our productions, gaining valuable feedback, as well as opportunities for students to receive acting and design nominations and awards. The Department has also had multiple productions invited to perform at the annual KCACTF Region II festival that occurs each January. SRU has a record of excellence within KCACTF, including the following awards/honors:

Invited Productions:

• Marisol, 2000
• Beirut, 2003
• The Shape of Things, 2005
• Fat Pig, 2011
• Dead Man's Cell Phone, 2014
• Scab, 2015
• Making Melrose, 2021
• Pride and Prejudice, 2022
• Grecian Burns, 2023

Student Awards/Honors:

• Acting Awards
  
  • Irene Ryan Acting Competition Winners - Tajionna Anderson-Clinton, Alawna Mallory
  • Irene Ryan Acting Competition Finalists - Deanna Brookens, Phoebe Costanza, Jeffrey F. Feola, Zachary Malinak, Bethany Vahabzadeh, Noah Reed, Alawna Mallory, Courtney O'Reilly, Aidan Nahas
  • Irene Ryan Acting Competition Semi-finalists - Luke Chamberlain, Meg Rodgers, Karter Schachner, Malic Williams, Naomi Costanza, Care Caldwell, Aidan Duez
• Musical Theatre and Dance Awards
  
  • MTI Musical Theatre Intensive Scholarship Award - Abigail Malczon
  • Open Jar Institute Dance Scholarship - Jack Lloyd
  • MTI Musical Theatre Intensive Winner - Alawna Mallory
  • MTI Musical Theatre Intensive Finalist - Katelyn Loss
• Design and Technical Awards
  
  • Allied Design Honorable Mention - Jeyneliz Ortiz
  • First Place Sound Design, Pride and Prejudice - Tyler Parsonage
  • National Makeup Design Award, Macbeth - Kelly McBane
  • Vectorworks Award for Scenic Design, Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Award for Scenic Design, Honorable Mention Award for Theatrical Design Excellence - Emma Cummings
  • Region II Costume Design Award, Cymbeline - Maya Ogasawara
• Directing and Arts Leadership Awards
  
  • Outstanding Stage Manager Award - Riley Gross
  • ACTF Commendation for Dramaturgical Excellence - Maison Kairush
  • ASPIRE Arts Leadership Program Award - Isha Rao
  • Selected Student Directing Project, This is Our Youth - Deanna Brookens

USITT

The United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc. (USITT) exists to connect and educate performing arts designers and technicians, promoting dialogue, research, and learning among practitioners, educators, and students.

Design and Technology students are encouraged to participate in USITT, including participation in the annual Conference and Stage Expo.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Since the summer of 2006, the SRU Theatre Department has been travelling every other year to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest performing arts festival in the world. Occurring during the first three weeks of August, students who partake in the Edinburgh trip have the opportunity to present a fully-realized production abroad in a professional setting, as well as take in a plethora of international theatre experiences.