A dedicated group of SUNY Oswego theatre students shared their talents and creativity and earned awards at the annual American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) Region 2 Conference in mid-January.

Students showcased their work to their peers within the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as educators and industry professionals. SUNY Oswego’s presence at this year’s festival was noteworthy across many areas of theatre and highlighted the department’s commitment to excellence and student success.

Graduating senior Artemis Doyle (a double major in theatre and music) earned second place in the National ACTF Award for Design Excellence in Scenic Design for their work on SUNY Oswego’s production of "The Grown Ups."

Students also excelled in the area of theatre direction, with junior Thomas Kan (theatre major, creative writing minor) receiving recognition for participating as a student director in the National Playwriting Program’s 10-minute play competition, and Cadence Vanderstouw (junior cinema and screen studies major, with minors in creative writing and in live event design) was selected as a Stage Directors & Choreographers Regional Finalist for presenting a scene from "The Language Archive" starring two SUNY Oswego students, Ariana Palmer (theatre major) and Kan.

In the performance competitions, Ben Capilets (music major, theatre minor) was awarded Outstanding Dramatic Performance as part of the Musical Theatre Intensive program. Seniors Cameron Humphrey (majoring in theatre and English, minoring in music) and Faith Wilk (theatre major) competed as finalists in the Irene Ryan Acting competition. Wilk was also a finalist in the Musical Theatre Intensive program.

'Collaboration and community'

“At its core, theatre is grounded in collaboration and community. The success of our students at the American College Theatre Festival is a testament to this principle,” said Krystal Kennel, chair of the Theatre Department.

“While the students who attended ACTF are deeply committed theatre artists, their achievements are made possible by the sustained support of our dedicated faculty and staff — not only within the Theatre Department, but also across the departments of Music, Communication, Cinema and Screen Studies, and English & Creative Writing," Kennel noted. "This collective commitment fosters creativity and enables our students to thrive. It is both an honor and a privilege to see this in action and to have them recognized by such a prestigious organization.”

The American College Theatre Festival celebrates excellence in collegiate theatre across the nation, providing opportunities for students to connect, learn and grow through workshops, performances and competitions. SUNY Oswego’s continued participation highlights the strength of its theatre program and its commitment to fostering the next generation of theatre artists in all areas of performance and production.

For more information about SUNY Oswego’s theatre upcoming performances, visit the department website. Tickets for "All Shook Up," this spring’s musical co-production between the Music and Theatre Departments, will be available at the SUNY Oswego Box Office soon for its April run.

-- Submitted by the SUNY Oswego Theatre Department