KU News Release

KU’s University Theatre, English Alternative Theatre win regional awards

Paul Lim, left, and Whitney Rowland.

LAWRENCE — Two theatre groups at the University of Kansas earned top recognition at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, held Jan. 21-26 at Iowa State University in Ames.

Based on the awards, University Theatre’s production of “Hay Fever,” directed by Jack Wright, professor of theatre and film, and “Suicide by Punchbowl,” written by Whitney Rowland, Olathe sophomore, are being considered for the national festival, which will be April 16-21 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Rowland’s play was named the top 10-minute play at the regional festival. The work was submitted for competition by Paul Stephen Lim, KU playwriting professor and founder of the English Alternative Theatre.

The Region V festival, one of eight area competitions, includes schools in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Final selections for the national festival will be made in late February after all the regional competitions are held.

Among individual honors, Rowland’s “Lights Fade, Curtain” for English Alternative Theatre was selected as the best one-act play in a concert reading at the festival. English Alternative Theatre has been invited to return to the regional festival next year in Omaha, Neb., with a full production of the play. Lim, Chancellor’s Club Teaching Professor of English and artistic director for English Alternative Theatre, said it will be among those in competition for the 2008 national festival. He will direct the play.

Kelly Vogel, master’s degree student in scenography, received the Award of Merit for her scenic design for “Hay Fever.” She also won first prize in the Technical Design Expo for her costume design for “Something’s Afoot,” produced last summer as part of KU’s Kansas Mystery Theatre.

Tim Boeshaar, senior in theatre design, won first place in the Technical Design Expo for his lighting design for “The Skin of Our Teeth.” He also received first prize in the regional David L. Thayer Lighting Design Workshop/Competition. The Thayer competition provides an opportunity for students interested in lighting design to share ideas and compete with other students in an adjudicated workshop. There were 15 entrants in the competition, and seven were selected to perform at the regional level. Boeshaar won a gift certificate from Border’s Books and Music.

English Alternative Theatre’s production of “Leaves of Words” by KU graduate Tim Macy, Topeka, earned three certificates of merit, including one for Macy in playwriting, Lim for direction and Megan Smith, Lenexa senior, in stage management. “Leaves of Words” is one of 16 plays nationally still competing for the David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award. The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize, publication of the play by Samuel French Inc., and an invitation to attend Kennedy Center’s national theatre festival and the Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference, which will be July 26-29 in New Orleans, La.

Macy and Rowland have been awarded full scholarships to attend the Great Plains Theatre Conference, which will be May 26-June 5 in Omaha. Their three plays will be presented as staged readings, and they will get feedback at the conference from prominent playwrights scheduled to attend the conference, including Edward Albee, Emily Mann, Romulus Linney and Arthur Kopit.

Also being considered for the 2007 national festival is “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,” produced by Emporia State University and directed by Theresa Mitchell, who received a master’s degree in acting and directing from KU in 1979.

Award winners are listed below by hometown, major, parents’ names (when available) and high schools and colleges attended.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66046
Kelly Vogel, master’s degree student in scenography; Turner High School, Kansas City, Kan., bachelor of fine arts in painting from KU, spring 1986; Award of Merit for “Hay Fever” scenic design.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Lenexa 66216
Megan Kathleen Smith, senior in theatre and film, daughter of Mary Buckmaster and Kevin Smith; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; certificate of merit for work as stage manager for “Leaves of Words.”

From Mission Hills 66208
Timothy Boeshaar, senior in theatre design, son of Richard and Emily Boeshaar; The Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo.; first place in Technical Design Expo and first place in David L. Thayer Lighting Design Workshop/Competition.

From Olathe 66061
Whitney Reece Rowland, sophomore in theatre and film, daughter of Myra Rowland; Olathe North High School; best 10-Minute play for “Suicide by Punchbowl”; best one-act play in a concert reading for “Lights Fade, Curtain”; and scholarship to attend Great Plains Theatre Conference.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66614 and Dillon, Mont. 59725
Tim Dylan Macy, Topeka; bachelor’s degree in English from KU, fall 2002, and master of fine arts in creative writing from KU, fall 2006; son of David and Rita Moore, Dillon, Mont.; certificate of merit for playwriting for “Leaves of Words” and scholarship to attend Great Plains Theatre Conference.

MONTANA
From Dillon 59725
Tim Dylan Macy. See SHAWNEE COUNTY

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