The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theatre program dedicated to the improvement of collegiate theatre in the United States. Focused on the celebration of diverse and exciting theatre, KCACTF involves students from more than 600 colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Overview
While the culmination of the KCACTF is the national festival held in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center, the majority of students involved in the program compete in one of eight regional competitions. Over 18,000 students are involved in at least one aspect of KCACTF.
Although the national festival is intended to be the pinnacle of the collegiate theatre year and not necessarily a competition, there are a number of scholarships and awards presented throughout the week, including the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships. Other competitions include playwriting, directing, set design, costume design, lighting design, sound design, and the Eugene O'Neill Theatre critic's institute and dramaturgy awards, including the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award.
Regions
KCACTF has divided up the United States in 8 separate regions. There are:
National Committee Personnel
Gregg Henry - Co-Manager, Artistic Director
Susan Shaffer - Co-Manager, Administration
Mark Kuntz - National Chair
Dr. Harry Parker - National Vice-Chair
Karen Anselm - Member at Large
Mark Charney - National Coordinator for the Critic's Institute
Michael Dempsey - National Theatrical Design Chair
Catherine Norgren - ATHE Liaison
John Uthoff - USITT Representative
Kate Snodgrass - National Chair of Michael Kanin New Plays Program
Roger Hall - National Vice Chair of NPP
Gary Garrison - NPP Member at Large
National Award Winners (Productions)
Previous Award Recipients
Production Awards
The productions below have been recognized for their outstanding achievement. Additionally, the "nominees" for each category have been recognized for distinguished achievement.
Outstanding Production of a Play
2014 - Pentecost by David Edgar, Middlebury College
2013 - Vincent In Brixton by Nicholas Wright, Utah Valley University
2012 - Six Characters adapted from Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author, Iowa State University.
Outstanding Production of a Musical
2014 - Next to Normal book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt, Utah Valley University 2013 - Godspell, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by John-Michael Tebelak, California State University, Fullerton 2012 - Flipside: The Patti Page Story by Greg White, University of Central Oklahoma.
Outstanding Production of a New Work
2014 - Decision Height by Meredith Levy, Hollins University
2013 - Platero y Yo by Juan Ramon Jimenez, adapted for the stage by Maria Eugenia Mercado and Julia Thompson, University of Puerto Rico 2012 - The Circus in Winter, music and lyrics by Ben Clark, book by the students of the Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry, inspired by the novel by Cathy Day, Ball State University.
Outstanding Production of a Devised Work
2014 - Pool '63 by Philip Valle and members of the Company, Cuesta College
2013 - Dromnium, University of Arkansas, Fort Smith
2012 - Re-membering Antigone, Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus.
Outstanding Production of a Modern Classic
2013 - Mother Courage, Illinois State University
2012 - Re-membering Antigone, Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus.
National Award Winners (Directing)
The individuals below have been recognized for their direction of plays, musicals, classic and devised works, and new plays and musicals. Additionally, the "nominees" for each category; those individual artists under consideration, have been recognized for distinguished achievement.
Outstanding Career Achievement in Directing
2012 - John David Lutz, Master Harold and the Boys, University of Evansville. This production marked John David Lutz's 24th production showcased at Regional Festivals since 1971. Six of these productions were additionally showcased at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center. In 2007, by special invitation, his University of Evansville production of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors was one of the Kennedy Center's contributions to the "Shakespeare in Washington" celebration.