Scottsdale Community College Theatre Arts Program Takes Home Honors from Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

~ SCC Theatre Student Wins High Praises -- Advances to National Level in Washington, DC in April ~

Scottsdale, AZ (February 25, 2008) -- Twelve students in Scottsdale Community College's Theatre Arts program attended the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) February 11 through 18 at California State University, Los Angeles. 

SCC Theatre Arts program Director, Randy Messersmith, and SCC Theatre Arts Faculty member, Elaine "EE" Moe attended the Festival, representing SCC and serving as coaches to the students.  Messersmith also served on the Region VIII Board of Governors as this year's Festival of Invitational Scenes Coordinator, and Moe presented the workshop Building New Theatres in the New Millennium for students, faculty and professional artists. 

The KCACTF (www.kcactf.org) is a national theater program involving thousands of students from colleges across the country.  The Festival is divided into eight regions, each hosting regional competitions in February.  During the regional festivals, college theatre students showcase their work, participate in workshops, perform for and receive outside review by Festival judges, and have the chance to win awards and scholarships and, if selected, move on to the National competition held in Washington, DC in April.  The Festival offers students recognition in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design. 

One of the programs at the Festival, the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship program, provides recognition and financial awards to student performers wishing to further their education. SCC students who auditioned for and were nominated for Irene Ryan Scholarships in the Acting category were Hillary Scott, Caroline Wagner, Micah Krueger, Aaron Helton, and Maggie Donnelly. SCC student Rachel Zimmerman received an Award of Merit in the category of Stage Management.

"Our students collectively logged in over 350 workshop and production hours at the Festival," said Elaine "EE" Moe, SCC Theatre Arts Faculty member.  "We are extremely proud of their artistic and scholastic excellence."

The highlight of the Festival occurred when SCC student Pasha Yamotahari (pictured below with Elaine "EE" Moe) won the Region VIII National Critics Award for his critique of the Festival's production of Take Me Out.  Yamotahari will advance to the National Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in April.  At the National level, Yamotahari and the other regional winners will write reviews in a more advanced setting and have the opportunity to study with professional critics.  One student of the eight will be chosen to participate in a summer internship at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center Critics Institute during its national playwriting conference and will get the opportunity to study with leading professional newspaper and magazine critics.

Yamotahari was also a runner up in the category of Dramaturgy for his research of SCC?s most recent production of The Philanderer.

"The KCACTF Festival is the premier theatre festival program in the country for college students and we are always very excited to attend," said Randy Messersmith, Scottsdale Community College Theatre Arts program Director.  "Pasha's win shows us what is possible when our talented, dedicated students are given an opportunity to compete with four-year universities and graduate schools.  We look forward to Pasha's next win at the National level."

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About the SCC Theatre Arts Department:

The Theatre Arts program at Scottsdale Community College integrates the study of theatre history, dramatic literature, theory, and aesthetic concepts with the development of practical skills in acting, directing, design, and theatre technology.  Recognized by national theatre educators and professionals for the outstanding achievements of its students and faculty, the SCC Theatre Arts program combines classroom study with opportunities for public performance and summer professional training.  Students receive experience and education through a combination of coursework, performance and production -- culminating in the Associate of Arts, Fine Arts Degree in Theatre.  To learn more about the program, faculty, honors, and awards, call (480) 423-6356 or visit www.scottsdalecc.edu/theatre.

About Scottsdale Community College:
Scottsdale Community College offers over 1,500 academic and non-credit classes each semester. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the campus is known for its serene atmosphere and beautiful plant and wildlife. With nearly 12,000 students, Scottsdale Community College is proud to offer high-quality, affordable programs in small class settings. From Motion Picture/Television Production and Culinary Arts to Nursing and American Indian Studies, students have a wide variety of programs from which to earn credits for university transfer, launch their careers, train for new ones, or pursue a special interest. The SCC Business Institute offers customized programs to meet the needs of local business. Scottsdale Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.

To learn about the many academic programs at Scottsdale Community College, call us at (480) 423-6000 or visit our website at www.scottsdalecc.edu.

Media contact:
Denise Kronsteiner
(480) 423-6567
denise.kronsteiner@sccmail.maricopa.edu

Theatre Arts contact:

Randy Messersmith

(480) 423-6718

r.messersmith@sccmail.maricopa.edu