UAFS theatre students claim top awards

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith theatre program was the recipient of 15 awards at the Arkansas State Festival of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, held Nov. 10-14 at Arkansas State University in Beebe, including the prestigious Respondent’s Choice award.

The Respondent’s Choice award was chosen by Ray Gabica of Western Illinois University and Ray Rodriguez of Adelphi University in New York. Respondents are outside professionals in theatre that are brought in at a festival to watch the shows and respond.

“Respondents are the closest thing we have to judges, and them choosing us is a very big deal,” said Theatre Director Bob Stevenson of Fort Smith. “It’s sort of like a ‘Best in Show’ award. This is also the first time we’ve received a Respondent’s Choice award. Even ‘CORRIGENDA,’ our critically-praised and national award-winning production in 2006, didn’t receive this award.”

This award brings with it a nomination for “Awake and Sing!” to join UAFS’s Spring 2009 production of “Romeo and Juliet” in a small collection of shows in consideration for invitation to the Regional Festival, which will be held in February in Amarillo, Texas.

Other titles awarded to UA Fort Smith were the Irene Ryan Nomination Award for Acting, given to Shawn Mann of Dora and Laura Wineland and John Wozniak, both of Fort Smith.

Individual awards went to Pablo Guerra-Monje of Fort Smith, Excellence in Scenic Design; Josh Smith of Van Buren, Excellence in Lighting Design; Sarah Woods of Fort Smith, Excellence in Costume Design; Edward Portman of Fort Smith, Excellence in Property Design and Honor Crew; Jody Vyrostek of Fort Smith, Excellence in Sound Design; Debbie Campbell of Fort Smith, Excellence in Publicity Design; and Cheree Spann of Greenwood, Excellence in Stage Management, Honor Crew and Best of Honor Crew.