Region 8 Festival Awards

Region 8 Festival Awards

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for Region 8 is happy to announce the talented awardees from Festival 56. These many recipients have demonstrated skill, artistry, and dedication to their respective crafts and represent the best educational theatre has to offer.

Our region (Central & Southern California, Utah, Arizona, Southern Nevada, Hawai’i and Guam), celebrates the talents of students nationwide and uplifts the recipients of our National Festival in Washington, DC.

KENNEDY CENTER REGION 8
Festival 56 Recipients – 2024

 

STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD AWARDS

 

Grace Temblador
Glendale Community College, CA
NATIONAL OUTSTANDING MEMBER

Liia Opanasiuk
California State University, Northridge
Outstanding Performance in a Dramatic Scene

Vincent Huynh
Chandlier-Gilbert Community College
Outstanding Performance in a Dramatic Scene

Justin Ni
Mt. San Antonio College
outstanding performance in a comedic scene

McKenna Hill
College of the Canyons
Outstanding Performance in a Dramatic Monologue

Cesar Uribe
California State University, Fresno
Outstanding Performance in a Comedic Monologue

Justin Ni
Mt. San Antonio College
Outstanding Performance in a Comedic Monologue

Ynetta Carter
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Outstanding Performance in a Comedic Monologue 

Reise Ili
Mt. San Antonio College
Outstanding Performance in a Comedic Monologue

Ella Soltero
Mt. San Antonio College
Outstanding Performance as a Scene Partner

Ynetta Carter
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Outstanding Performance as a Scene Partner

Eeshan Kumar
Glendale Community College, AZ
Outstanding Open Mic Set

Eliana Captol
Los Angeles Pierce College
Outstanding Open Mic Set

M. Kutty
Windward Community College
Outstanding Open Mic Set

ASPIRE – ARTS LEADERHSIP AWARDS

Ana Maria Perez
San Bernardino Valley College
The ASPIRE Arts Leadership FINALIST

Alexis Castro
Los Angeles Theatre Center
The ASPIRE Arts Leadership ALTERNATE 

DEVISED AWARDS

Payton Ross
Glendale Community College, CA
Outstanding Contribution to Devised Production

DIRECTING AWARDS

Dale Van Slyke
Los Angeles Pierce College
SDC Student Directing Initiative Recipient

Valerie Sepulveda
Los Angeles Pierce College
SDC Student Directing Initiative Performance Award

Grace Temblador
Glendale Community College, CA
42 Foundation’s Achievement in Storytelling Scholarship

DRAMATURGY AWARDS

Breckyn Hall
Mesa Comm College
PROGRAM NOTE AWARD – 10 MINUTE PLAY

Leimomi Crisostomo-Ribeiro
Windward Community College
PROGRAM NOTE AWARD – ONE ACT PLAY

Emma Baker
Los Angeles City College
LMDA/KCACTF STUDENT DRAMATURGY REGION 8 ALTERNATE

Lily Hart
University of California, Riverside
LMDA/KCACTF STUDENT DRAMATURGY FELLOWSHIP NOMINEE

Sherrie Sanders
Mt. San Antonio College
LMDA/KCACTF STUDENT DRAMATURGY FELLOWSHIP NOMINEE

Ransom Allen
Mesa Comm College
LMDA EARLY CAREER DRAMATURGY AWARD

Miriam Cervantes
East Los Angeles College
LMDA EARLY CAREER DRAMATURGY AWARD

Belle Frahm
Brigham Young University
DRAMATURGY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD

DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Elizabeth Heinrichs (Hookman)
Fresno City College
Randy Lutz Allied Design and Technology National Award

Maribel Chavez (The African Company Present: Richard III)
East Los Angeles College
Regional Honorable Mention

Alejandra Gonzalez (Murder on the Orient Express)
Los Angeles Pierce College
Regional Honorable Mention

Alejandra Gonzalez (Murder on the Orient Express)
Los Angeles Pierce College
SPM Award for Property Work

Reese Tate (Mary Poppins)
Grand Canyon University
SPM Award for Property Work

Bo Staas (The Play That Goes Wrong)
Mesa Community College
Gene Flaharty from Mehron Award

COSTUME AWARDS

Luz Stehelin (Going Mad: Alice in Hollywoodland)
Los Angeles City College
National Recipient

Stephen Harsha (Romeo & Juliet)
Glendale Community College, AZ
Regional Honorable Mention

LIGHTING AWARDS

Vanessa Jimenez (Dracula)
Citrus College
National Recipient

Theodore McEntire (No Exit)
Mesa Community College
Regional Honorable Mention

SOUND AWARDS

Ryian Winchester (Moon Over Buffalo)
MiraCosta Community College
National Recipient

Stephanie Gelardo (Romeo and Juliet)
Glendale Community College, AZ
Regional Honorable Mention

SCENIC AWARDS

Krystyna Colocho (A Mexican Trilogy: Faith)
East Los Angeles College
National Recipient

Jacob Clawson (Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years
at a Certain School of Magic and Magic)
Utah State University
Regional Honorable Mention

Roya Row (IRONBOUND)
Los Angeles Pierce College
Regional Honorable Mention

PROJECTIONS AWARDS

Jordyn Kieffer (Rent)
Los Angeles Pierce College
National Recipient

STAGE MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Patrick Bator (Moon Over Buffalo)
MiraCosta Community College
National Recipient

Rick Herman (Esa Nena RIE, Esa Nena LLORA,
Esa Nena NO HACE NADA)
Phoenix College
Regional Honorable Mention

Tiffany Joy May (A Chorus Line)
California State University, Fullerton
Regional Honorable Mention

Cory Smith (Cabaret)
Saddleback College
Regional Honorable Mention

Dea Armstrong (Murder On The Orient Express)
California State University, San Bernardino
First Time Presenter Award

Kiah von Boeck (Mary Poppins)
Grand Canyon University
Ghost Light Award

Sasha Santa Cruz (Murder on the Orient Express)
Los Angeles Pierce College
Crew Advocate Award

Clara den Dulk (Ride the Cyclone)
California State University, Stanislaus
Growth Mindset Award

DTM REGIONAL AWARDS

Autumn Ford (Mary Poppins)
Grand Canyon University
Vectorworks Award

Ivy Angle (Mary Poppins)
Grand Canyon University
Jane Childs DTM Legacy Award

Recipients of “Heart of the Art” Award:

Amara King (Buried Child)
Eastern Arizona College

Anuradha Perry (Titus Andronicus)
College of the Sequoias

Evan Garcia (The Yellow Boat)
Eastern Arizona College

Melanie Hatzenbühler
(A Mexican Trilogy, An American Story – Charity (Part III))
Los Angeles City College

Cindy Campos (The Skin of our Teeth)
East Los Angeles College

Diana Gomez (They Never Called it Chavez Ravine)
California State University, Northridge

Olivia Terry (Shakespeare In Love)
Paradise Valley Community College

Recipients of the Don Childs DTM Cross-Discipline Collaboration Award:

The Team of Everything in the Garden
Rodrigo Sandoval (Costumes)
Brian Wayne (Props)
Amaya Martinez (Hair/Makeup)
Meghan Perales (Sound)
Tegan Sanders (Scenic)

DTM Student Choice Awards

Brian Wayne (Properties for Everything in the Garden)
Mesa Community College
Allied Award

Rodrigo Sandoval (Everything in the Garden)
Mesa Community College
Costumes

Vanessa Jimenez (Dracula)
Citrus College
Lighting

&

Theodore McEntire (No Exit)
Mesa Community College
Lighting

Michael Francis (It’s A Wonderful Life)
Utah State University
Scenic

Ryian Winchester (Moon Over Buffalo)
MiraCosta Community College
Sound

Jordyn Kieffer (Rent)
Los Angeles Pierce College
Projections

Rick Herman
Phoenix College
Stage Management

INSTITUTE FOR THEATRE JOURNALISM AND ADVOCACY AWARDS

Zoe Russo
Mesa Community College
ITJA Undergraduate Fellow

Lily Hart
University of California, Riverside
ITJA Graduate Fellow

IRENE RYANS ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Kahlan Gentry
California State University, Sacramento
Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Regional Finalist

Ella Geonzon
San Diego City College
Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Regional Finalist

Alex Bravo
Los Angeles City College
Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship National Finalist Partner

Angela Bahena
California State University, Northridge
Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Best Physicality in Acting

MUSICAL THEATRE INITIATIVE AWARDS

Maxwell Montgomery
Santa Monica College
Hollywood Tap Festival Award

José Andrés Uribe Garza
Mesa Community College
Open Jar Certificate MTI Regional Recipient (Singing)

Emelysse Paez
Los Angeles Pierce College
Open Jar Certificate MTI alternate (Singing)

Jimmy Haynie
California State University, Fresno
Honorable Mention

Thea Moore
Mesa Community College
Special Award – Most Comedic

Jesse Magdaleno
Bakersfield College
Special Award – Tear Jerker

Autumn Morgan
Mesa Community College
Special Award – Most Vulnerable Performance

Anna Martin
Concordia University Irvine
Special Award – Coaching Session Star

Peyton Farmer
Santa Monica College
Open Jar Scholarship Dance Recipient

Lyra Paez
College of the Sequoias
Open Jar Scholarship Dance Recipient

NATIONAL PLAYWRIGHTING PROGRAM AWARDS

Alex Bravo
Los Angeles City College
Outstanding Actor in a 10-Minute Play

Angelica Dules
MiraCosta College
Outstanding Actor in a One Act Play
Anna Thao
California State University, Stanislaus
Outstanding Director of a 10-Minute Play

Mendy McMasters
California State University, Bakersfield
Outstanding Director of a One Act

Brizna Fregosos
California State University, Bakersfield
Outstanding Director of a One Act

Aaron Higareda
University of California, Riverside
10-Minute Play Festival Finalist

Karly Thomas
University of California, Riverside
10-Minute Play Festival Finalist

Anna Watts
University of California, Los Angeles
One Act Play Festival Finalist

Bettina Ernst
Loyola Marymount University
One Act Play Festival Finalist

Aaron Higareda
University of California, Riverside
Michael-Miguel Productions Garras Award

Anna Watts
University of California, Los Angeles
Michael-Miguel Productions Garras Award

NEXT STEPS AWARDS

Justin Ni
Mount San Antonio College
The Creative Award

Riese Li
Mt. San Antonio College
Fresh and New Award

Christian Venegas
Los Angeles City College
Fresh and New Award

Lawrence D Romo
San Bernardino Valley College
The Risk Taker Award

Rahim Pullom
College of the Sequoias
Meant For Broadway Award

Mia Moore
Fresno City College
The Cackle Award

Jimmy Haynie
California State University, Fresno
The Classic Award

Giovanny Benavente
Los Angeles Theatre Center
Rising Star

McKenna Hill
College of the Canyons
Rising Star Award