An Intervention from God,” an award-winning play by MTSU senior Jayme M. Smith, a theater major from Liberty, Tenn., will be one of five showcased productions set for performance at the Region IV presentation of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Feb. 5 – 10 at Clemson University in South Carolina.
“We are so pleased that Jayme’s play is being recognized with its presentation at the festival. Her work is a great representation of our program and its talented students,” said Jeff Gibson, assistant professor of speech and theater at MTSU and Region IV chairman for KCACTF.
The showcased productions will be considered for an all-expense paid trip to the national festival April 14-20 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. A national selection team will choose four to six productions, taken from eight regions across the country, for the showcase at the Kennedy Center. In addition to the chance to perform with peers in Washington, the students will be candidates for a host of scholarships and awards.
While the KCACTF honors excellence in overall production, Gibson noted, individual students are also recognized for excellence in specific categories. Awards will be announced at the Kennedy Center during the national festival.
MTSU students nominated for individual awards at the regional festival include:
? Irene Ryan Award acting nominees: Matthew Frazier-Smith of Nashville and Georgia Hemrick of Murfreesboro for “Kid Icarus”; Justin Bourdet of Murfreesboro and Paige Hall of Franklin for “Ramona Quimby”; Estelle Hatcher of Ashland City and Valerie Meek of Smyrna for “The Country Wife”; Leah Fincher of Bells, Tenn., and Vance McCarty of Knoxville for “Mother Courage and Her Children”; Dustin Napier of Lebanon and Alli Scott of Murfreesboro for “Romeo and Juliet”; and David Bennett for “An Intervention from God.”
? Stage management: Paige Hall of Franklin?“Romeo and Juliet.”
? Barbizon Costume Design Award: Katrina Stanifer of Lexington, Tenn.?“Kid Icarus”; Hunter Raymond of Pleasant View, Tenn.,?“The Country Wife.”
? Alcone Makeup Award: Katrina Stanifer?“Kid Icarus.”
? Faculty Directing: Dale E. McGilliard?”Romeo and Juliet.”
In addition to Gibson, MTSU faculty working with the Region IV festival includes speech and theater professors Deborah Anderson (playwriting chairwoman) and M. Crosby Hunt (regional director of the National Critics Institute).
For more information about the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, visit kcactf4.org.
