Midland University students recently delivered their strongest showing yet at the Region 5 American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) in Rochester, Minnesota, with both students and faculty recognized with awards.
This is the fourth year Midland has attended the event, and each year has marked significant growth and recognition. The ACTF is a national organization that brings together college theatre programs nationwide for training, performance, and competition. Region 5 includes Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota, which features more than 1,000 students from universities of all sizes to attend workshops, see adjudicated performances, and compete in areas such as musical theatre, dance, acting, directing, playwriting, stage management, and technical theatre. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition, where selected students perform a monologue and a partnered scene; winners advance to the national competition.
“Attending the ACTF has been a great event for our students,” said Dan Hays, Director of Theatre Activities. “Not only do our students get to attend excellent workshops with industry professionals and faculty from all over the U.S., but they also get to see how we stand up to the other programs in our region. Over the last three years, we have had four mainstage shows adjudicated and have garnered over 25 awards.
“Our students have done well in all areas of technical arts and have had great successes in the area of musical theatre. We are providing courses to deliver great acting techniques and performances at a level commensurate to much bigger programs.”
Midland’s production of Rent received awards for Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Performance (Eli Cameron), Outstanding Projections (Devyn Hansen), Outstanding Lighting (Zachary Otteman), Outstanding Choreography (Alexxus Taavola), Outstanding Set Design (Jerry Ditter, Director of Technical Arts), Outstanding Direction (Dan Hays), and Outstanding Choreography (Hays).
Miranda Esparza-Jordan was selected for a 10-minute play presentation, while Irene Ryan competitors Taavola and Marshall Powers advanced to the second round, the first Midland students to earn that honor.
Elliot Brummond, Taavola, Powers, Alden Mason, and Jocey Logue were each selected for the elite festival dance company, performing in the final concert alongside other Irene Ryan finalists, also a first for Midland.
Mason also received a scholarship to participate in a summer program at the prestigious Open Jar Institute in New York City.
