January 27, 1999

TWO KU STUDENTS ADVANCE TO NATIONAL THEATER CONTEST

Megan Dillingham, Overland Park graduate student in English Alternative Theater (EAT) at the University of Kansas, won the Irene Ryan Region V acting competition at the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival in Ames, Iowa, in January.

Dillingham and her acting partner, Alice Robison, Overland Park graduate student, will compete nationally April 19 to 26 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. They were selected for the national contest from among 250 nominees in Region V competition.

For her winning audition selections, Dillingham performed a monologue from "The Primary English Class" by Israel Horovitz. Dillingham and Robison then presented a scene from Shakespeare's "Henry V."

Paul Lim, associate professor of English, nominated Dillingham for the Irene Ryan competition. Lim directed her in the EAT production of "Victim Art" last October.

Another EAT Irene Ryan nominee, Melissa Shimkovitz, Glenview, Ill., junior, and her acting partner Damon Klassen, Great Bend senior, advanced to the semi-final round of competition in January.

Students' majors and home addresses are

BARTON COUNTY

From Great Bend

Damon Klassen, senior in theater and film, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Klassen, 3601 23rd St.

JOHNSON COUNTY

From Overland Park

Megan Dillingham, graduate student in English, 7035 Broadmoor.

Alice Robison, graduate student in English, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Robison,10511 Reeder.

ILLINOIS

From Glenview

Melissa Shimkovitz, junior in theater and film, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Shimkovitz, 629 Long Road.

Story by Camille Payne, (785) 864-8860