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Theatre students shine at regional festival

Theatre students shine at regional festival

February 15, 2019 at 12:00am


Last week, a contingent of 27 FIU Theatre students and faculty attended the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

During the five day festival, students presented their work, participated in professional workshops, attended evening performances, and networked with other theatre artists from across the Southeastern United States.

Many of the students were recognized for the excellence of their work.

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Four students won Design and Technology Management Awards.

Jedhi Weir won the second place KCACTF Award for Theatrical Design in Costume Design for his work in last semester’s A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings. He was also awarded a full scholarship to attend the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas this summer.

“When I heard my name called there was a moment of disbelief,” says Weir, a junior BFA costume designer. “It’s a great honor to be recognized like that and I’m grateful to my mentors, friends, and family for helping me get to this point.”

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Jedhi Weir receives one of his two awards.

Indy Sulleiro, a junior BFA Design major, won the second place Allied Design & Technologies Award for her work as props master for A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings.

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Indy Sulleiro receives her award from Region IV Design Chair and FIU Theatre Head of Design Tony Galaska.

Two students also won awards for their design concepts of plays they haven’t fully realized on the stage.

Freshman Josh Gibson won the first place SETC/David Weiss Award for Theatrical Design Excellence for his scenic design of Between Mars and Me.

Sophomore Kevin Sage won the first place SETC/David Weiss Award for Theatrical Design Excellence for his lighting design of Pipeline.

JC Gutierrez, a senior BFA performance major, was selected as the runner up for the Stage Directors and Choreographers Fellowship. If the winner is unable to go to the National Festival in Washington, D.C., Gutierrez would represent region IV at the festival.

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JC Gutierrez receives his award.

He was joined in the finals by Leonard J. Moore II. Both students prepared scenes with fellow FIU actors, presented them to professional respondents, worked on the scenes incorporating the feedback they were given, and finally presented their scenes one more time.

Four students participated in the Irene Ryan Scholarship auditions. They joined more than 200 actors from across the southeastern United States who presented their work to faculty respondents through a three round process.

Anthonysha Warfield along with her partner Kyran Wright, made it to the semi-finals.

Ashley McGuire’s one-act play Koukla was one of three finalists invited to the festival. She had her play read by a cast of her fellow FIU students. McGuire was the first FIU student invited to participate in the one-act play event.

At the festival, faculty awards were also announced. Several FIU Theatre faculty members were recognized for the excellence of their work in last year’s productions.

Phillip Church (Dancing at Lughnasa), Tony Galaska (She Kills Monsters) and Lesley-Ann Timlick (The Children’s Hour) received Excellence in Stage Direction Awards.

Tony Galaska (A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings) was also awarded the Excellence in Lighting Design Award.

Jennifer Ivey received two awards for Excellence in Scene Design (She Kills Monsters and The Children’s Hour).

Rebecca Covey received the Excellence in Theatre Production – Vocal & Dialect Director Award (Dancing at Lughnasa).

Alumna Victoria Collado was also recognized with the Excellence in Stage Direction Award for her work as a guest director in A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings.