The Department of Theatre Arts at Saddleback College is pleased to announce that ten Theatre Arts students were nominated to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) on February 10th-14th at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah.
These prestigious nominations were made possible, in part, by the Angels for the Arts with their contribution to and support of the Department of Theatre Arts and its passionate, talented and versatile students.
The following students, along with their scene partners, competed in the Irene Ryan Scholarship competition against selective BFA and MFA programs from the Southwestern United States.
KCACTF Nominee Scene Partner
Maxwell Colburn Jordan Kay
Nicolette Regina Felicia LeClair
Nikolas Marcinov Tierney Dezarn
Andrew Paul Guerrero Amadi Houston
Alexandrea McDermott Brian M. Flores
Brooke Dickson Meghan Riopelle
Gabby Jackson Storm Howe
Anastasia Christensen Nick Riggio
David Patrick Vera Ketino Dumbadse
Danya El-Kurd Liam Holton
These Saddleback College students, accompanied by KCACTF Coordinator William Francis McGuire (Saddleback College Head of Performance), competed in a series of scene presentations against 270 nominees and an equal number of scene partners.
Two of our candidates advanced to the semi-finals, where the remaining 64 candidates and their partners presented before the judges. David Patrick Vera with his scene partner Ketino Dumbadse and Andrew Paul Guerrero and his scene partner Amadi Houstin advanced to the semi-finals. Only sixteen nominees and their partners then advanced to the final round, and we are happy to report that Saddleback student Andrew Paul Guerrero and his partner Amadi Houstin made it in to this final round.
This is the first time in the history of the KCACTF Theatre Festival that a Saddleback College student made it into the finals. The Department of Theatre Arts is also happy to report that not only is Andrew Paul Guerrero a finalist in the KCACTF Festival but he also stars as Clyde in the spring production of Bonnie and Clyde (April 10-19) in the McKinney Theatre at Saddleback College.
Started in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the Kennedy Center’s founding chairman; the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of College Theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF.
Through state, regional, and national festivals, KCACTF participants celebrate the creative process; see one another’s work, and share experiences and insights within the community of theater artists. The KCACTF honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design.
The Department of Theatre Arts serves as an educational base, a vocational training ground and an artistic resource for the community. By combining production excellence with academic achievement, the Department fulfills its role as a leader in the performing arts in Orange County.
Acting, directing, production, design and dramatic literature are all important facets of the Theatre Arts program. Each year the Department presents a diverse production season which combines high artistic standards with public appeal, and which challenges and expands the talents of students both on stage and behind the scenes. The Entertainment & Theatre Technology Certificate Program offers students a practical hands-on education that will lead to the opportunity to secure entry-level positions in the entertainment industry. Saddleback College is located 60 minutes from the heart of Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, which allows the students to work with faculty, staff and guest lecturers who are working professionals and experts in their fields.
Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community. Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals. For more information, please visitwww.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visitwww.saddleback.edu/arts.
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Photo: Andrew Paul Guerrero (right) performing with Jordan Kay (left) in Lend Me a Tenor
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Nina Welch
Fine Arts Public Information Officer
Saddleback College
28000 Marguerite Parkway
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
