Students studying theater and new media studies at Eastern Connecticut State University attended the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) at Cape Cod Community College from Jan. 28-Feb. 1. The festival included workshops, auditions for summer jobs and internships, competitions for scholarships and opportunities for students to present their work. Eastern’s group of students participated in a regional festival that included colleges and universities from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, northeast New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Both student performers and those who work behind the scenes were recognized at this year’s KCACTF. While students Austin Washington and Emily Kelly were nominated for Irene Ryan Acting Nominations for their work in “Our Town”, Becca Figueroa and SJ Reynolds were selected as technical interns for the festival. Emily Kelly, Hanna Zammarieh and Andrew Rich auditioned and received callbacks for conservatory programs that offer summer intensives and post-graduate training. Christian Fronckowiak and Capri Agresta received merit scholarships for their work on "Our Town”.

Students who run Eastern’s productions also did well at the festival. Student Ryan Rosenbaum, the sound designer for “Our Town”, was awarded a scholarship to the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas based on his presentation pertaining to design, technology and management categories that exemplify evidence of STEM success in the arts. Other Eastern students' presentations included MK Cannon; for her stage management for “Our Town”, SJ Reynolds and Katelyn Scalia for their stage management contributions in “To Damascus”; and Emma Kellermann on her sound design for “The Wolves”. Emma Kellerman won the Sound Design category for work in Ambisonic Sound, making her eligible to present at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She competed against 13 student-designers and received a scholarship to the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas.

Perhaps the most exciting news of Eastern’s visit to this year's KCACTF was winning the Tech Olympics, a series of timed technology-based challenges. Eastern has never won this competition before. Challenges included knot tying, hanging and focusing a lighting instrument, changing costumes on an actor, setting a prop table and screwing pieces of wood together. Eastern finished with the fastest time. Students who participated in the competition were Becca Figueroa, Tommaso Rotella and Ryan Rosenbaum.