KU News Release

KU theatre design students win awards at regional festival in Omaha

LAWRENCE — Five theatre design students at the University of Kansas earned top honors at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival held Jan. 20-25 in Omaha, Neb.

Students at schools in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota compete at the Region V festival, one of eight area competitions.

Nicholas Kostner, a graduate student from Murdock, won a Barbizon Award for Theatrical Design Excellence for his designs for “Translations,” staged by University Theatre in October. The awards are sponsored by Barbizon Inc., a premier theatrical supply house specializing in advanced lighting for professionals. Designs of the national Barbizon finalists will be on display during the Kennedy Center’s national theater festival in Washington, D.C., in April.

Robert Figueira, Lawrence senior, won first prize in the 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.

Madison Spencer, a graduate student from Leawood, won second place in the Region V Design Expo for her costume designs for “Man of La Mancha.”

Susanne Kepley, an Elgin, Ill., graduate student, and Ann Sitzman, Prairie Village senior, won Certificates of Merit for their work on “The Death of Romance,” an original script by Adam R. Burnett, Topeka senior. Kepley directed the production, and Sitzman designed lights.

A group of 27 faculty, staff and students from the Department of Theatre and Film and University Theatre attended the Region V festival.

Student award winners are listed below by hometown, major, level in school, parents’ names and previous schools attended.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66049
Robert Figueira, senior in French and theatre design, son of Janis Harvey; Lawrence Free State High School.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66224
Madison Spencer, master’s student in theatre design, daughter of Katherine Gordon; Shawnee Mission West High School, Overland Park; bachelor’s degree in theatre design from KU, spring 1992.

From Prairie Village 66207
Ann Sitzman, senior in theatre design and art, daughter of Everette and Jan Sitzman; Shawnee Mission East High School.

KINGMAN COUNTY
From Murdock 67111
Nicholas Kostner, master’s student in design, son of Tom and Sharon Kostner; Kingman High School; bachelor’s degree in business administration from KU, summer 2003.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66604
Adam R. Burnett, senior in theatre and film, son of Vicki Fulmer; Topeka High School.

ILLINOIS
From Elgin 66049
Susanne Kepley, master’s student in theatre and film; bachelor’s degree from Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.

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