Salem State Theater Students Pick Up 6 Awards At Regional Event

From Salem State University: Six Salem State University students won a total of six regional awards in an annual competition sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 20,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide each year.

Salem State students Robert Brennan, of Westwood; Hubens “Bobby” Cius, of Cambridge; Claudia Cruz, of South Grafton; Nikos Koutsogiannis, of Swansea; Kayla Norton, of Townsend; and Courtney Plati, of Andover, were honored in their fields during the Northeast regional KCACTF festival held at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU). Of the eight KCACTF regions, each region sends its winning students in acting, directing, playwriting, and technical theatre to the national festival. As the winner of the directing award for region 1, Courtney Plati will attend the national competition at the national Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Washington, DC this April.

"I'm proud of the diversity of talent and the work ethic of our students. We continue to be humbled by the regional and national recognition and the honor we receive for our students in all areas of theatre.” said Celena Sky April, chair of theatre and speech communication department at Salem State University.

The KCACTF regional awards received by Salem State students are listed below.

• Robert Brennan of Westwood, received an Honorable Mention for Sound Design in Design, Technology and Management
• Hubens “Bobby” Cius of Cambridge, received Best Scene Partner in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition
• Claudia Cruz of South Grafton, received the VASTA Award for Best Voice in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition
• Nikos Koutsogiannis of Swansea, received Best Comic Actor in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition
• Kayla Norton of Townsend, received an Honorable Mention for Stage Management in Design, Technology and Management
• Courtney Plati of Andover, received the SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers) Directing Initiative Award

Among KCACTF’s goals are those “to encourage, recognize, and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs” as well as “to provide opportunities for participants to develop their theater skills and insight and achieve professionalism.” The festival “honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design.”

To learn more about Salem State University’s theatre and speech communication program, click here.

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