Students in "Mr. Burns" Recognized by Kennedy Center Festival

Our production of Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play was registered as an Associate Production in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region 2 program. As such, it received a response this past weekend. Congratulations to the following students who received recognition:

Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominations:

• Julia Pitarresi 
• Juno Hunter
• Alex Reiser (alternate)

Certificates of Merit in Design and Technology:

• Max Teicher (Costume Design)
• Sheila Fastoff (Set Design)
• Lisa Gallagher (Sound Design)

These students are encouraged to participate in the next Regional KCACTF2 festival, planned for January 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. Per its mission statement, KCACTF’s primary goals are to encourage and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs; provide opportunities for participants to develop their theater skills and insight; improve the quality of college and university theater in the United States; and encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, the classics, and experimental works.

“Please join me in congratulating the cast, crew, design team, and musicians on a fantastic production of Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play,” said Dr. Eero Laine, THD Chair. “Special thanks to guest director Scout Davis for leading such an engaging evening of work. And many congratulations to those recognized by the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival respondent. We are glad that you will be representing UB at the regional conference next year.”

“We thank Chair and Associate Professor Krystal Kennel from SUNY Oswego for providing the response,” added THD Associate Chair Lynne Koscielniak, “and we also thank THD Clinical Assistant Professor Zechariah Saenz for his support in coordinating KCACTF on-campus responses. We are especially grateful to Director Scout Davis for joining us for this work.”

Since inception, KCACTF has given more than 400,000 college theater students the opportunity to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills, and receive national recognition for excellence. For more information please visit: https://kcactf2.org/about-us/.