Northwestern students excel at regional theatre festival

Northwestern College theatre students and productions received recognition at the Region Five Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Sioux Falls Jan. 19–25.

Wyatt Waage, Vermillion, South Dakota, was awarded best sound design. Waage’s design for last fall’s children’s show, “Jonah and the Giant Fish,” included the sounds of a busy seaport and a ship tossed about in a violent storm. His design statement explained, “Using sound, we tell this violent story to kids with enough pathos so they understand the gravity of the situation, but not too much that they are overwhelmed.”

“Jonah and the Giant Fish” also received several commendations: the cast for excellence in ensemble acting; Corrie Hayes, Fort Dodge, Iowa, for costume design; and theatre professor Jeff Barker, who wrote and directed the show, for interdisciplinary collaboration with his Old Testament dramas project partner, theologian Tom Boogaart.

Hayes also competed in the Irene Ryan acting competition. She and her scene partner, Kitrick Fynaardt of Alton, Iowa, advanced to the semifinal round of 66 actors from a pool of more than 300.

“Columba,” a 10-minute drama by Rachel Smart, Brookings, South Dakota, was selected to be showcased at the festival, where she received honorable mention.

Alexander Lowry of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and theatre professor Drew Schmidt received commendations for “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” which was on stage in November. Lowry’s virtual reality design was recognized, and Schmidt’s lighting, sound and projection designs were commended.

KCACTF is an annual event that includes undergraduate and graduate students from six Midwestern states.

Regarded as one of the best Christian college theatre programs in the country, Northwestern’s features a collaborative, excellence-oriented environment committed to helping students develop their creative gifts for service in God’s kingdom. Study with Northwestern’s award-winning faculty in the outstanding facilities of DeWitt Theatre Arts Center.