Concordia’s Theatre and Film Department is preparing to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Mesa, Arizona, from Feb. 11 to 15. At the conference, Concordia has been invited to perform their production from January 2024, “Girls Like That,” providing students with the incredible opportunity for their work to be seen by a broader audience, and the chance to earn awards. 

The event is one of the eight regional conferences that take place all over the U.S. The conference for Region 8, which spans the Southwest, brings together the best of college theater programs for an exciting week of workshops, performances and competitions. This is not Concordia’s first appearance at the conference – the university has attended over a dozen other times in past years and been invited to perform both short scenes and full productions in front of critics and students alike.

Senior Theatre major Kathryn Neyer said, “I'm excited to meet and collaborate with other artists. Not only will this be a great bonding experience within our program, but it also allows us to network with like-minded people.” 

The conference aims to connect students through their shared passion for acting and will be a great opportunity for Concordia’s department to gain recognition for their accomplishments. Neyer added, “A major aspect of theatre is the community and the connections we build while creating art together. I think it is really beautiful that all these actors, directors, and designers have this opportunity to share their stories with each other.”          

At the conference, Concordia has been invited to perform “Girls Like That,” a show they originally performed in January 2024. This invitation is a huge honor as only four shows were invited this year from the entire region. 

Professor Lori Siekmann, the Theatre Department chair, said, “The invited shows are meant to represent the best of the region. The National team from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Executive Board in Washington DC travels to all the regional conferences and watches the invited productions. They give out national awards and recognitions based on what they see.” Siekmann is celebrating her twentieth year with Concordia this year, and the invitation to perform at the conference is a great testament to her work in the department. 

“Girls Like That” is not the only chance for students to win awards. Siekmann added that Concordia students are also up for awards in the Irene Ryan Scholarship Audition acting competition and the Musical Theatre Initiative competition. 

The department is excited yet busy as the conference draws closer. Siekmann noted that Concordia students can help their fellow theatre students, saying, “Please pray for safe travel and health for all the students. It is a lot of work to recreate a show that was originally done a year ago…and also get ready for the competition pieces AND keep up with classes!” 

Another way to support the department is to donate. Transporting the sets, costumes and props of “Girls Like That” to Arizona is an expensive undertaking, and donations are gratefully accepted to help cover these costs. Visit www.cui.edu/arts/theatre/giving for more information.

 

Tags: Theatre, Performing Arts, Awards

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