The College of Southern Maryland theater department led by Technical Director Keith Hight competed in the 34th Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Jan. 11-15. The festival included student performances, competitions and workshops.
“It was incredible to watch our students stay focused throughout the entire competition. Our students rocked the place,” Hight said of the group of Southern Maryland students who competed with students from Carnegie Mellon University, James Madison University, The Ohio State University, Penn State, Rutgers, Villanova University and other colleges and universities.
The region 2 theater competition of 1,400 students represented colleges and universities in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. CSM students attending the festival included Danielle LeDoux of Indian Head; Jeremy Hunter, Alex LaClair, Victoria Anastasi and Rusty Hrabe of La Plata; Alyshia Bradley of Lexington Park; Jamie Burroughs, Dana DiGregorio, Paul May, Devon Pettie and Samantha Zanelotti of Mechanicsville; and Ryan Armstrong, Kristen Carlsen, Rami Essa, Kyle Janschek and Eid Brian Taylor of Waldorf.
The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Audition began with 700 students competing for awards provided through an endowment created by Ryan, an actress who worked in radio, television, movies and stage for the education of actors. One male student, one female student and two alternates are selected to represent their region in the national competition held at the Kennedy Center in April. “Hrabe was one of 32 students to reach the semi-finals—quite an honor,” said Hight.
“It was definitely a feeling that I will always remember,” said Hrabe of being chosen to advance to the semi-finals. “I was speechless. It’s like that first sip of soda after struggling to get the top off—it tastes so good yet there’s still so much left to enjoy.”
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