UCO Theatre Students and Faculty Win Awards at Regional Festival

March 12, 2007

University of Central Oklahoma theatre students and faculty received high honors and awards at this year`s Region VI Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival held Feb. 27 through March 3 at Tulsa Community College.

Top awards won at the festival include Saichko Komuro, a UCO senior costume design major, winning first place in "Costuming" and runner-up in "Make-up," and Laurinda Navesky, a UCO senior stage management major, winning first place in "Stage Management."

Both Komuro and Navesky will present their work in the National Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in April.

Dottie De Leon, UCO theatre professor and mentor to Komuro, received one of only three "Faculty Costume Design" nominations for the region and will be considered for invitation to the National Festival Summer Workshop.

Other theatre majors receiving recognition by the selection committee included UCO junior Collin Andrulonis and UCO senior Matt Charnay, who were awarded the Irene Ryan "Best Partner Award;" UCO senior Elford Alley, who won the "Playwrighting Award;" and UCO junior Brandon Vanderee, who garnered an honorable mention in scenic design.

"Our Department is proud to represent the College of Arts, Media & Design and UCO. We stand in gratitude and appreciation for all those who contributed to helping our students learn and succeed at this prestigious level," said Robert McGill, chair of the Department of Theatre, Dance and Media Arts.

In addition, UCO received an award recognizing its contribution to the support of playwrighting, a program created by UCO Assistant Professor Christopher Domanski.

The festival also recognized the late Douglas Getzoff, UCO professor, by presenting the “Up & Coming, Designer/Technician Award” in Getzoff’s name to Eddie Gonzales, Jr., from Southwestern State University.

For more information, contact McGill at (405) 974-2507.

Page updated 3/12/07