1 Chair's Report KCACTF Region 2 Festival 46 January 14-‐18 2014
Chair’s Report KCACTF Region 2 Festival 46 January 14-18 2014 West Chester University, West Chester PA
Festival Overview - Thrilled to have Charles Weldon of the Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. as our keynote speaker this year. His talk was inspiring, and he also served as an Irene Ryan semi-finalist selector. - It was wonderful to have BC/EFA and ASTEP back at our festival. Sarah Mitchell served as a semi-finals selector, and Maruicio Salgado was one of our preliminary round selectors. - Michael Legg of Actor’s Theatre of Louisville was finally able to fit Region 2 into his schedule this year, providing opportunities for Region 2 students, and serving as a preliminary round selector. - The number of participating productions dropped again this year, and our slate of shows to consider inviting to festival was quite thin. Four of our top choices were from 2 schools, only allowing us to invite one from each. We ended up inviting alternates from our list – which begs the question: are we really showcase the best college theatre productions in our region? And what should we be doing about that? Something to bring to the National table, as well as to discuss with our regional leadership. - The number of Irene Ryan registrants also dropped this year – last year we had 267 auditioning, and we were down to 187 this year. This also is of concern, and should be discussed with our Regional Leadership. DTM entries went from 125 last year to 104 in 2014. - Once again blessed by the many talented theatre artists from across the nation who gave of their time, talents, and expertise to make the Region 2 festival a success.
Invited Productions
WHO WILL CARRY THE WORD? by Charlotte Delbo Produced by: Rowan University Director: Anthony Hostetter Wednesday, January 15, 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Based upon the biography of Charlotte Delbo, Who Will Carry The Word? depicts the lives of 20 women sharing a bar- racks in the WWII Nazi death camp Auschwitz. Their goal: to keep the strongest alive so that someone can share their experiences with the world. A sobering and very moving celebration of the human spirit, Who Will Carry The Word? is a portrait of the resilience of ordinary people placed in extraordinary—and in this case, horrifying—circumstances.
AVENUE Q
1 Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, Book by Jeff Whitty Based on an Original Concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx Produced by: College at Brockport Wednesday, January 15, 8:30 p.m. Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall The mix of puppets and people, along with the setting of urban brownstones, may remind people of Sesame Street, but the lessons learned on Avenue Q are very different than the ones we learned as toddlers. They are not only much more mature, but these puppets talk like sailors and have urges, as well. Yes, we’re talking about puppet sex. What else can one expect from Avenue Q, besides puppet pornographers, post-college malaise and a pair of “Bad Idea Bears?” Well, the musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby Brooklyn apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. There, he meets Kate Monster (the girl next door), Rod (the Republican), Trekkie Monster (an internet sexpert, and no relation to Kate), Lucy the Slut (need we say more?), and other colorful types who help Princeton finally discover his purpose in life.
DEAD MAN’S CELL PHONE by Sarah Ruhl Produced by: Slippery Rock University Director: Laura Smiley Thursday, January 16, 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre “There are only one or two sacred places left in the world today. Where there is no ringing. The theater, the church, and the toilet...” A wildly imaginative comedy...a hallucinatory poetic fantasy that explores the mundane and the metaphysical, the patently bizarre and the bizarrely moving through the odyssey of a woman forced to confront her own assumptions about morality, redemption and the need to connect in a technologically obsessed world. Written by MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and Pultizer prize finalist, Sarah Ruhl.
OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder Produced by: Carroll Community College Director: John Moletress Thursday, January 16, 8:30 p.m. Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall Described by Edward Albee as “...the greatest American play ever written,” Our Town follows the small town of Grover’s Corners through three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage,” and “Death and Eternity.” Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, audiences follow the Webb and Gibbs families as their children love and live. Carroll Community College offers this lovingly well-worn play with youthful imagination, which aims to offer greater support for Wilder’s themes and intentions.
LYSISTRATA by Aristophanes, Adapted by Ellen McLaughlin Produced by: Bowie State University Director: Bob Bartlett
2 Friday, January 17, 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Although “MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR” became the quintessential slogan of the counterculture of the late 1960s, it has long been the sentiment of many across the ages and around the world who believed that war is not the answer. Although Aristophanes’ anti-war comedy was antithetical to the lives of Greek women, the play strikes a universal chord on the power women hold when it comes to certain aspects of the male-female connection. BSU Theatre is proud to present this very modern adaptation by Ellen McLaughlin, which shows clearly that the theme of this Greek classic transcends time and culture.
VORTEX by Jeffrey Lentz and Cocol Bernal Produced by Albright College Director: Jeffrey Lentz Friday, January 17, 8:30 p.m. Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall “Her lips trembled so that for a long while she could say nothing.” Leo Tolstoy There are some experiences in life that transcend the use of words. The same can be said of our stories. Vortex is a human story of love betrayed and forgiveness tested told through the theatrical elements of movement, light, and music.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by William Shakespeare Produced by: Alfred University Director: Becky Prophet Saturday, January 18, 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre What is masked and what is revealed? What is truth and what is lies? What is a game and what is cruelty? What is gullibility or foolishness when compared to blindness to the better parts of human nature? What is the threat of one against the other, to rend the fabric of a society? William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a bright comedy with a decidedly dark center. The vortex and the dark side of these questions whirls around two pairs of lovers and threatens to destroy innocence, whether in Messina or London of 1590 or Florida in the 1920s-30s. In the context of youth, passions, victory in battle, and deep love, few can avoid being caught up in the howling, grinding spiral that is the desire of one person to destroy another, no matter who is hurt in the process. It is, then much ado and only about nothing when the innocent are absolved and the guilty caught.
THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Music and Lyrics by William Finn, Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Conceived by Rebecca Feldman, Additional Material by Jay Reiss Produced by: The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Director: Natalie Jones – Student Director! Saturday, January 18, 1:30 p.m. Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall Ever dreamed of competing in a spelling bee? How about performing in a musical? Then this audience participation-based show is the one for you! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee tells the tale of six adolescent outsiders vying for the
3 spelling championship of a lifetime, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves! This Tony Award-winning musical is sure to tickle your funny bone and warm your heart as the participants learn that winning isn’t everything and losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. Be sure to stop by our Speller Registration table before the show if you’d like to be on stage for this musical comedy adventure!
Showcase Production ALIVE “A Devised Puppet Piece” developed by the Ensemble Produced by: Arcadia University Directors: Alisa Kleckner and Scott Cassidy Thursday January 16, 2014 9pm-10:30pm Mainstage Theatre For a kooky circus family, living on the road is one delicious cake walk. But what happens when Pandora’s pickled predictions abruptly stop pointing the way? A tale of daring, divisive and diabolical dimensions threatens to derail a dubious shared destiny.Grab your ticket, pop some circus peanuts and prepare yourself for three rings of the most wondrous puppet show on earth!
Keynote Speaker Charles Weldon is the Artistic Director of The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. and is a veteran director and actor of stage, film and television. Directing credits include; the NEC productions Futurology, The Musical, Cabaret Émigré, and The Picture Box. He directed Colored People’s Time for the New York Public Schools, The Offering at Rip Rap Studio Theater in Los Angeles, Waiting to End Hell, at the Shadow Theatre in Denver. His career began as the lead singer with the group, The Pardons in 1968, writing and recording the number one smash hit, Diamonds and Pearls. He performed in the original San Francisco cast of Hair. Charles came to New York with the Broadway musical, Big Time Buck White, with Mohammed Ali and in 1970 he joined The Legendary Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. (NEC) as an actor. He was seen in NEC’s The Great MacDaddy, The Offering, The Brownsville Raid, A Sol- dier’s Play, and NEC’s Broadway production of The River Niger. Other productions include; Second Stage Theatre’s award-winning play, Birdie Blue, with S. Epatha Merkerson, Thunder Knocking at the Door, at the Guthrie Theatre, Fences and King Lear, at the Asolo Theatre; It Ain’t Nothing But the Blues at Kennedy Center, Piano Les- son, at Centre Stage, Touch the Names: Letters to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (original cast recording); Much Ado About Nothing, Taming of the Shrew, and Driving Miss Daisy, at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival; The Madwoman, A Selfish Sacrifice, A Streetcar Named Desire, King Hedley, II, Jitney, Com- ing of the Hurricane and Two Trains Running, at the Denver Performing Arts. Film credits include; Stir Crazy, Serpico, A Woman Called Moses, The River Niger, and more recently, Malcolm X and, Showtime’s, The Wishing Tree with Alfre Woodard and Blair Underwood. Television credits include; Roots: The Next Generation, and appearances on Law and Order/Trial by Jury, Police Story, New York Undercover and Law and Order. He has won several awards including; the
4 “HENRY” (Excellence in Regional Theater) for best supporting actor in Gem of the Ocean, by August Wilson, and has been awarded Best Supporting Actor by Audelco for his role in Seven Guitars at Signature Theatre. In addition to his role as Artistic Director, Charles is proud to be the co-founder of The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. Alumni Organization. Learn more about the Negro Ensemble Company at http://www.necinc.org/
Registration by the numbers 2014 2013 Students registered 962 1042 Faculty registered 126 141 Other registered 16 20 Invited Guests 47 41 Regional Leadership 19 20 Total Registered 1170 1264 Schools Participating 87 84 Volunteers Area Leaders 11 15 20 Hour 60 65 10 Hour 18 21 Total Volunteers 89 102
Irene Ryan Report
The Numbers: 187 nominees
4 preliminary round Non-Regional or In-Region professional Selectors Tom Miller: Actors Equity Association, NYC Michael Legg: Director of the Apprentice/Intern Company at Actors Theatre of Louisville David Lee Painter: National Chair, KCACTF Mauricio Salgado: Director of Domestic Programming for Artists Striving to End Poverty, NYC
32 semi finalists representing 19 Colleges and Universities 3 Non-Regional or In-Region semi-final Selectors Sarah Mitchell: Director/ Actor based in New York; BC/EFA rep Maggie Surovel: Actor/Playwright/Screen Writer based in New York. Charles Weldon: Artistic Director of the Negro Ensemble Company, Inc.
16 Finalists representing 11 Colleges and Universities 3 Non-Regional or In-Region final Selectors Eliza Beckwith: Director/Member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre Joy Pace: KCACTF Region 6 representative
5 Brad Watkins: Director of Theatre Services for TheatreWashington
Narrative: The Coordinator duties were divided as follows: Matthew Mazuroski – Coordinated Ryan audition, Room, and rehearsal scheduling, clearing rights, communicating with nominees prior to the festival scheduling and supervising rehearsals and performances for each round. Naomi Baker– secured, scheduled, and trained the Preliminary Round volunteer respondents. Tammy O’Donnell—who identified, contacted, and handled all of the logistics for our selectors for the three rounds of the awards process.
Registration: An area of success for Region II Ryans was the automation of creating two mail merges with Word that collected and printed a registration document for each registered nominee and a printed Preliminary Round Selector’s sheet.
Check-In: Another of the successes for this year’s Region II Ryans was the check-in process. I had preprinted the Preliminary Selector form with their Name, Partner’s Name, Title, Playwright, Audition Room and Time. We also were able to create a more efficient way of processing changes to the prelim, semi, and final order of audition pieces.
Preliminary Round: We had 28 respondents (6 which were new) and four selectors who saw a total of 16 hours of Ryan preliminary auditions. In addition, we had 7 Ryan student volunteers per hour. Another success for the Ryans was announcing the Semifinalists immediately following the keynote speaker. We named 32 semifinalists who represented 19 colleges and universities.
Semifinal Round: Scheduling the semis went very smoothly. I randomized the semifinal order using Microsoft Excel and informed the students of their audition slots. Because I had automated their registration information, I was able to generate their Semifinal selector sheets with all the necessary information ready to be printed. The audience estimate was approximately 140 over the course of two acts.
Final Round: Finals scheduling and orientation went very smoothly. The audience was approximately 150.
Region II Finalists: Jenna Rossman – Towson University Caitlin Weaver – Towson University Region II Alternates: Tamyra Lewis – Bowie State University
6 Khalil McMillan – West Chester University Region II Outstanding Partner: Andrew Slattery – West Chester University NAPAT Classical Acting Award: Caitlin Weaver –Towson University VASTA Award: Ethan Mitchell – Grove City College
From their comments, all the selectors and respondents had a very positive experience. Student responses were also very strong. We have continued making improvements on the procedures and have good systems in place so that the nominees have an excellent experience with the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Award process. Respectfully Submitted Matthew Mazuroski Region II, Irene Ryan Co-Coordinator
------DTM Report
KCACTF Allied Design and Technology Award Samia Merritt Arcadia University
KCACTF Costume Design Allison Burrell Alfred University
KCACTF Lighting Design Ian Shelanskey Montclair State University
KCACTF Scenic Design Tina Pfefferkorn Montclair State University
KCACTF Sound Design Zackary McKenna Arcadia University
KCACTF Stage Management Kelsey Pulzone East Stroudsburg University
SILV Award Ian Shelanskey Montclair State University
7
SPAM Payge Crock Clarion University
Allied Design Honorable Mention Amanda Sharp Arcadia University
Honorable Mention Lighting Design Sarah Kimball Montclair State University
ASSESSMENT OF FESTIVAL Comments Positive "Great workshops especially the ones that follow through" Negative "All the great workshops happen at the same time” TOTAL OF WORKSHOPS 24 NUMBER OF ATTENDING 512 WORKSHOP BREAK DOWN Workshops 15-Jan Head Workshop Name of Instructor Worksheets Count Technical Miscellany Patrick McCreary NA 56 Quick Change Trauma Alisa Kleclener NA 42 Next Steps/DTM NA 20 Technical Direction 101 John NA 14 Ground Plan and Center Line Section Making a Simple Scenic Model Sean Urbantke View 28
16-Jan Michael Allen (actually an Equity Beginning Stage Management Female presented) Yes 11 Photoshop Stage Design Yoshi Tanokura NA 30 Ipad Design Terry NA 31 Hands On Exploration of Scenic Painting: Marble Jathan Innerarity Ar 20
8 Armor Pt. 1 Victoria Depew 15 Why Do Costumes and Sets Look Different Under Lighting Juliet Wunsch 32 Leather Mask Making for the Theatre Fiona Mulligan 35 Design Bash Juliet Wunsch 18 Effective Face Charting for Makeup Design 15
17-Jan Rigging Intensive(Morning/Students) Seth Sapp Yes 32 Stage Manager Roundtable John? NA 9 Design beyond the Theatre Kurt Wunsch NA 10 Armor Pt.2 Debra Otte, Victoria Depew NA 22 Intermediate Stage Management NA 4 Turn of the How to Style Gibson Girl Hair Constance Case Century 15 Rigging Intensive(Afternoon/ Faculty)
18-Jan Advanced Stage Management Michael Allen NA 8 A Bloody Good Time Lex Gurst 25 Hide and Seek: Leather Mask Work Alisa S. Kleckner 20
BREAK DOWN BY COLLEGE OF HOW MANY ASSOCIATE, PARTICIPATING, AND NOT RESPONDED AT HOME CAMPUS ae pe ne Adelphi University Associate Entry 3 Alfred University Not Entered 1 1 Arcadia University Associate Entry 1 2 BGSU Firelands Not Entered 2 Bloomsburg University of Participating Pennsylvania Entry 1 Clarion University Associate Entry 8 7 College of Southern Maryland Associate Entry 6 1 Participating Coppin State University Entry 1 Participating East Stroudsburg University Entry
9 Eastern Mennonite University Not Entered 2 frostburg Associate Entry 1 Grove City College Not Entered 1 1 Indiana University of Pennsyvania Associate Entry 1 1 Keuka College Associate Entry 1 Participating Messiah College Entry 2 Millersville University Associate Entry 1 Montclair state university Associate Entry 12 2 Penn State Berks Not Entered 1 Ramapo College of New Jersey Associate Entry 1 1 Rider University Associate Entry 1 Participating Rowan University Entry 2 Slippery Rock University Not Entered 2 1 St. Bonaventure University Associate Entry 2 Participating SUNY Brockport Entry 2 SUNY University at Buffalo Not Entered 6 2 5 Participating SUNY Oswego Entry 1 1 Participating The Richard Stockton College of NJ Entry 2 The University of Findlay Associate Entry 2 Towson University Associate Entry 1 Villanova University Associate Entry 3 Participating West Chester University Entry 4 West Liberty University Not Entered 2 1 Westminster College Associate Entry 1 Wilkes University Associate Entry 1 56 31 17 Associate Entry ae Participating Entry pe Not Entered ne
Associate Entry 56 Participating Entry 31 Not Entered 17
WE HAD 104 ENTRIES FOR THE DTM AWARDS. THIS IS A DROP FROM LAST YEAR WHERE WE HAD 125. THE MAJOR COMMENTS WERE FROM THE
10 RESPONDERS WHO WERE HERE LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR IS THAT THE QUALITY CONTINUES TO GO UP. WE HAD A RESPONDER 2 YEARS AGO WHO MADE THE SAME COMMENT. BREAK DOWN IN DTM AREAS ARE AS FOLLOWS Allied Design Award 16 Costume Design Award 16 LIGHTING 13 SCENIC 24 Sound Design Award 14 Stage Management 21
Keith Hight, DTM Chair and Greg Griffin DTM Vice Chair ------
NPP REPORT
Submitted by Region 2 Chair: Allyson Currin (George Washington University) Vice Co-Chairs: Laura Smiley (Slippery Rock University) John Gresh (Westminster College)
Statistics: NPP Region 2, Festival 46, included participation from the following: Playwrights: 10 (4 one-acts, 6 ten-minutes) – 7 playwrights were men, 3 were women. Respondents: 4 Directors: 10 Shadow Directors/ASM‘s - 1 Stage Managers: 11 Dramaturgs: 6 Actors Cast: 33 Actors Auditioned: 136 Audience: 215 Workshops: 2 (Total attendance was around 43) Total Served: 469
Programming: Tuesday – Registration and NPP Audition Sign-Up Wednesday – NPP Auditions (afternoon), Casting (evening) and first read-through of scripts with full casts (night) Thursday – NPP Rehearsal Day Friday – Friday morning rehearsal, 10-Minute Play Performance and Response (afternoon) Saturday – One-Act Performance and Response (morning and afternoon). Closing Ceremony and Awards (evening) Sunday – Region 2 leadership meeting
10-Minute Plays Selected for National Semi-Finalists:
11 A’NAT DITTNI, by Tearrance A. Chisholm, Catholic University ANGEL HAIR, by Bill Rebeck, Lesley University
1-Act Plays Selected for National Semi-Finalists: TARRANT COUNTY, by Neal Adelman, Ohio University THE RIDICULOUSLY SWEET DREAM APARTMENT, by Gregory Aldrich, Ohio University
Other Awards Presented at Closing Ceremonies: The Kick-Ass Stage Manager of the Week – Colleen Walsh, West Chester Univ. Best Cold Read in an Audition - Jana Bernard Best Performance in a Concert Reading – Jeremy Hunter, Bowie State Univ.
Participating Festival Playwrights: 10-Minutes – Tearrance A. Chisholm, A’NAT DITTNI, Catholic University Director: Julia Matthews, Arcadia University Stage Manager: Katie Hammes Ryan J. Haddad, ART UNFINISHED, Ohio Wesleyan University Director: John Moletress, Carroll County Community College Stage Manager: Tanner Piekarski Dramaturg: Marisa Helene Mast, Albright College Bill Rebeck, ANGEL HAIR, Lesley University Director: David Zarko, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Stage Manager: Polly Edelstein, Villanova University Dramaturg: Ellie Smith, Albright College Bianca Sams, SUPERNOVA, Ohio University Director: Moses Goldberg, McDaniel College Stage Manager: Rachelle Kratz Dramaturg: Shannon Long Laci Corridor, LOOKS LIKE RAIN, Ohio University Director: Michael Swanson, Elizabethtown College Stage Manager: Courtney Edmundson, Mount Aloysius College Morgan Patton, YARD SALE, Ohio University Director: John Gresh, Westminster College Stage Manager: Keaton Grant, Adelphi University
One-Acts – Neal Adelman, TARRANT COUNTY, Ohio University Director: Mark Wade, Arcadia University Stage Manager: Colleen Walsh, West Chester University Dramaturg: Kim MacAlister, Shippensburg University Paul Goraczko, THAT GOOD NIGHT, Ohio University Director: Scott Frank, Washington and Jefferson College Stage Manager: Emma Slaney Jay Koepke, THE COST OF LIVING, Rutgers University
12 Director: David A. Miller, Bloomsburg University Stage Manger: Andrea Miller Dramaturg: Paul Deichmann, Shippensburg University Gregory Alrdrich, THE RIDICULOUSLY SWEET DREAM APARTMENT, Ohio University Director: Janice Goldberg Shadow Director: Jackie Knollhuff Stage Manager: Kellie McMenemon, SUNY Oswego Dramaturg: Nathaniel Marlowe, Elizabethtown College
Respondents: Nan Barnett (Executive Director, National New Play Network) Richard Herman (NPP At-Large) Nancy Lee-Painter (NPP Chair, Region 7 – Exchange) Larry Loebell (Playwright, Arcadia University and University of Arts)
NPP Student Volunteers: Hilary Kelly, George Washington University Vasken Sarkahian, West Chester University
Script Submissions (Oct. 1 – 31, 2013): Submissions were down slightly from last year. Full-lengths – 13 One-acts – 19 Ten-minutes – 53
Participating Entries for the Region: 2
Associate Entries for the Region: 8
Submitted by Region 2 NPP Chair: Allyson Currin (George Washington University) Vice Co-Chairs: Laura Smiley (Slippery Rock University) John Gresh (Westminster College) ------
SDC Report By the numbers: 6 initial applicants representing 5 schools 5 preliminary round participants from 4 schools, presenting 4 different scenes 5 final round participants from 4 schools 1 Finalist – Julia O’Connor from Catholic University 1 Alternate – Jeremiah Bean – West Chester University 4 daily workshops with approximately 150 participants overall 4 daily meetings with SDC participants 1 Meeting with Barbara Wolkoff of SDC 4 respondents
13 1-3 student volunteers 1 stage manager 75+ attendees at final scene presentations
Student Volunteers Courtney Young, from West Chester University, helped keep us organized and along with Tom Haughey provided us with access to the Studio Theatre and booth. Application Process The application process was smooth once again. The online format and submission makes everything so much easier, quicker, and more organized. SDC Connection Having a representative from SDC at Festival has made a huge difference these past two years. Barbara Wolkoff is fantastic. I highly recommend continuing this connection in the future. Respondents/Judges/Mentors Alan Cook, David Lee-Painter, Charles Weldon, and Joy Pace were our respondents this year. Alan and David were respondents for the preliminary round and the final round. We added Joy to the interviews sessions only and then added Charles to the final round of responses. Summary All in all, this was a good year to go out. Great students. Awesome respondents. It’s been an honor to have helped shape the SDC Directing Fellowship in Region 2 this past five years. I can’t wait for the next adventure.
Grechen Wingerter, SDC Coordinator ------Directing Institute Report
1. The Directing Institute had eight students signed up and of those, six carried scenes from auditions at the festival to public presentations. The scenes needed a total of fourteen actors, all of whom were cast from the NPP open audtions. 2. There were five faculty from all over the region who volunteered to serve as mentors for the six directing students and their casts. 3. Three students participated in the Shadow Program. The directors of NPP plays were willing to use these students as assistants to the director. 4. We had a "super volunteer," Darius. We also had a stage manager, Kayla, who was also helpful. 5. There was going to be one scene (a 7th) from an NPP play. However, we could not arrange a conference between playwright and director 6. Len Kelly responded to all six scenes. He was wonderfully effective and sensitive, always working on the development of the directors. 7. The audience for the presented scenes totaled nearly 100 Becky Prophet, Directing Institute co-ordinator ------
Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy
14 Guest Critic: Wendy Rosenfield [email protected] Winner: Megan Diehl Villanova University Alternate: Victoria Rose Bonito Villanova University Other Active Participants: Tiana D. Bias Towson University [email protected] Hannah Eyler Lycoming College [email protected] Tanner Sebastian Robert Morris University [email protected] Inactive or Withdrawn Participant Paul Goraczko Millersville University [email protected] (Had a One-Act play accepted and chose to participate with NPP) This was the second year we implemented the ITJA approach in the Region II festival. The change from OCI to ITJA was again not drastic. As had been done in the past, students attended six sessions with our Guest Critic (plus an introductory session after the opening celebration), totaling about 14 hours. The students wrote five 400-word reviews (two of which were revised) of plays invited to the festival. In addition, students created a short query/pitch for a feature article and a two-picture photo essay blog piece. For the photo essay, students were given the freedom to find their own focus relating to anything connected to the festival. As is the usual pattern, the Guest Critic made the selection of an alternate and a student to go to the Kennedy Center for the national KCACTF Festival. This decision was based on the entire body of work of each critic, with special emphasis on the final review.
Guest Critic The approach Region II has taken in recent years in the selection of critics is 1) to use local talent when we can, and 2) use different critics every couple of years or so. This approach is designed to try to save the region travel costs and expose our students to different approaches and to different strengths with each critic. It seemed logical to solicit Ms. Rosenfield, a Philadelphia critic, to be our Guest Critic.
Wendy Rosenfield, critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer and a member of the Executive Committee of the American Theatre Critics Association served as the Guest Critic for the 2014 KCACTF Region II Festival. Ms. Rosenfield has twice before been our Guest Critic and we were fortunate to get her to work for us again. While women are slowly becoming more prominent as theatre critics, I think it is still important for our students to have to opportunity to work with a female professional theatre journalist. Moreover, she has had extensive experience as a freelance critic relying extensively on electronic journalism, attributes central to ITJA. Ms. Rosenfield again gave our students a valuable experience. One of our students told a faculty member from her school that she learned more in the first two hours than she had learned in the previous four years of college. We hope to use Wendy Rosenfield when we return to West Chester in two years.
15 Ralph Leary, ITJA Coordinator ------
Dramaturgy Report
Region 2 LMDA Award to Ellie Smith, Albright College for Dramaturgy on Vortex Alternate LMDA Award to Devon-Marie Pettie, Indiana University of Pennsylvania for The Optimist Number of entries submitted to Student Dramaturgy Initiative: 8 Number of Guerilla Dramaturgs: 6 (3 of whom were entrants in the Student Dramaturgy Initiative) One for each of the one acts and one for two of the ten- minute plays. Special Programs: Guerilla Dramaturgy (new play dramaturgy on ten-minute plays and one-acts). Regional Faculty Involvement: Nathan Thomas of Alvernia University presented on Chekhov. Volunteers: we had one West Chester student Respondent: Non-academic professional dramaturg – Walter Bilderback, Resident Dramaturg from the Wilma Theater Response: Individual within a group/public setting Portfolios: on display in dramaturgy classroom and handed around during the review
Specific workshops offered: 4 (including the response) Workshop presenters: 4 Narrative This year we had eight entrants into the dramaturgy initiative and seven attended the festival and response session. This has been fairly consistent over the past few years. Respondent Walter Bilderback has been working in the professional theater for more than 30 years. He began his career with the American Ibsen Theater in Pittsburgh. His work has since included La Jolla Playhouse, Baltimore CENTERSTAGE, Broadway, the Alliance (Atlanta), the Center for Puppetry Arts, Dallas Theatre Center, and the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, where he is currently in his 10th season. He has worked on world premieres by Lee Blessing, Dael Orlandersmith, Lisa d’Amour, and Paula Vogel (among other), and new translations of Schiller, Wedekind, and Ibsen. He has also studied physical theater for many years and continues to work on incorporating this into his dramaturgical practice.
Walter’s workshop on dramaturgy as curation was well-attended—20 people both students and faculty. The presentation was intellectual, progressive and included several international references as well as candid reflections on recent projects at
16 the Wilma. His portfolio response with the seven applicants was incisive, intellectual and displayed very high standards. Guerilla Dramaturgy Happily, this program has developed to the point where the directors and playwrights who aren’t assigned a dramaturg are disappointed. We were able to assign dramaturgs to the four one-acts and two of the ten-minute plays and the dramaturgs did wonderful and independent work. Workshops Dramaturgy as Curation; Is there A Student Dramaturg in the Room; New Play Dramaturgy; Why does Arkadina Play Croquet? Future Plans Expand the new play dramaturgy workshop to include designers and directors and the next festival, to work with the Regional Chair on identifying more dramaturgs on the participating projects, and to enlarge the pool for Design Storm with DTM Chair. Submitted by Dramaturgy Chair Lisa A. Wilde ------Devised Theatre Report The Numbers: - 1 invited production was fully devised movement piece - 1 showcase production was a devised puppet piece. - 7 workshops related to some aspect of devising. - 3 days of Devising Theatre workshops, attended by 5 students - Devised theatre workshop performance that was attended by approximately 25 people. - 4 schools performing 5 pieces for the Devised Prompt: College of Southern Maryland, Allegheny University, Queensborough Community College, West Chester University(Albright was planning to participate, but their load-in conflicted with the Prompt Performance) - 2 respondents - Talk-back that was attended by around 120 people. Invited Guests: - Elizabeth Mozer, Theatre in the Flesh - Joe Krienke, Dell ‘Arte - Mauricio Salgado, ASTEP
Naomi Hatsfelt Baker, Devised Initiative Coordinator, Region 2 ------Music Theatre Initiative (MTI) report $250 regional scholarships awarded to: Michael Lloret from East Stroudsburg University Hannah Karpenko from Nazareth College of Rochester
2 student volunteers on Day 2 and 1 student for Day 3 and Day 4
NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED: 35 Slots available for Scholarship Award
17 Close to 100 wanted to participate but did not get there in time to get a slot Approximately 90 – 100 students came to watch the finalist auditions DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS: Day 1 Info Table – Coordinator presented information, flier, advice, regarding the audition sign up, the requirements for the audition (16 – 32 bars of a musical theatre piece) and other clarifications of the scholarship award Day 2 Sign up began at 9:00am for the 35 slots Approximately ten were there by 6:30am. By 8:15am all 35 slots were gone (by way of “golden tickets” distributed by Andy Truscott) Day 3 8:00am – 11:00am Preliminary auditions Day 4 Finalist auditions Day 5 Performance of Award Recipients at the Closing Ceremonies ------WORKSHOPS report Total number of scheduled workshops: 92 Workshops cancelled: 4 Total workshops presented: 88 Breakdown by category: Acting/performance – 32 Devised - 4 Directing – 6 DTM – 29 Dramaturgy -5 Next Steps - 7 NPP - 5 Workshops of special note: “Living Outside the Box” and “Time to Make a Change”, presented by Mauricio Salgado, ASTEP “Actors Equity – A Career in the Theatre”, presented by Tom Miller, Actors Equity “Actors Theatre of Louisville Internship”, presented by Michael Legg, ATL
NOTES and OBSERVATIONS: Late submissions for workshops played a role in this year’s overall number, but we still ended up with a healthy number overall.
Respectfully submitted, Lars Tatom, Workshops Coordinator ------
NEXT STEPS REPORT The Numbers:
18 We had 18 workshops identified as Next Steps topics, in addition to their original placement in the program. Two more than last year.
There was a professional photographer available who took shots for 12 students. They were pleased and the students got a quality headshot for $50.
Workshop fliers distributed: 450
Narrative: The third year of this initiative was proof that it is an area that should continue to be addressed. URTA wanted to be a part of the initiative for the last three years but each year has had to pull out at the last minute.
Resource Fair: This is difficult for us to get up and running. I sent out email invitations to professional and amateur theatres in the West Chester area, as well as colleges and universities. Two possible reasons why only one college participated: 1. Budgets are tight for institutions right now. The cost of travel and manning a table may be a hindrance. 2. The timing. It falls over the semester break for many schools and makes it difficult to get someone to commit to the date.
Tammy O’Donnell, Next Steps Coordinator ------Fringe Report
2 nights of Fringe Challenge – 5 schools participated each night 2 showcase productions: - Alive! A devised puppet play from Arcadia University - Come and Go by Samuel Beckett from West Chester University Afternoon of invited scenes 8 Fringe Flash events submitted by Lars Tatom, Associate Fringe Coordinator
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