New Paltz students and faculty recognized at Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

Student and faculty members of New Paltz’s theatre arts program were granted with four awards and eight certificates of merit at the Region I Festival of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).

“The Department of Theatre Arts is thrilled with the performance of our students in this year’s Festival. They have received multiple honors in both the performance and design/technology areas,” said Jack Wade, professor and chair of the department.

Samantha Marsh is the Region I Fellowship winner out of seven regional finalists. “We are especially proud of Samantha, who will now go forward to represent the Department of Theatre Arts and New Paltz at the National KCACTF Festival at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. This is a phenomenal honor for our department and the university,” said Wade.

Sal Nicosia was awarded the Region I second place (Runner Up) award in Lighting Design for his design of The Icarus Project at Suffolk Community College. Ally Farzetta was among the top 16 finalists out of 235 in the Irene Ryan acting Competition. Simone Bart, Stefan Brundage, Ally Farzetta, Patrick Kiernan, and Mike O’Connor were among the 32 Irene Ryan Acting Award Semi-Finalists out of 235 competitors.

The following faculty and students were awarded Certificates of Merit for outstanding achievement in production for The Who’s Tommy: Assistant Professor Ken Goldstein: Outstanding Scenic Design; Brittany Merola: Outstanding Student Design and Production Team, Costume Design; Emily Kenny and Andrew Keck: Outstanding Student Design and Production Team, Lighting Design; Patrick Kiernan: Outstanding Student Design and Production Team, Projection Design; Rachael Brandt: Outstanding Student Design and Production Team, Hair and Makeup Design; Liz Petley: Outstanding Student Design and Production Team, Stage Management. New Paltz’s 2011 production of Three Sisters received a certificate of merit for Outstanding Ensemble Work.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a year-round theater program that serves more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country. The Region I Festival was held at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts January 24-29, with participants from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Northeast New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The Department of Theatre Arts at SUNY New Paltz provides a combination of contemporary theory and practice within the context of a broad-based and humanistic liberal arts tradition. The program offers a curriculum that presents a solid foundation in the history, literature, theory, and applied practice of theatre. A rich, provocative, and varied series of productions expose students to a wide array of theatrical artists, styles, cultures, and genres. The department is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.