Professional Development Opportunities in Acting

The Kingsley Colton Award for Outstanding Partner
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The National Stage Combat Workshop Fellowship
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Classical Acting Award of Excellence
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Williamstown Theatre Festival Apprenticeship
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The Mark Twain Comedy Acting Awards
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The Margolis Method Summer Intensive Acting Fellowship
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The Sundance Theatre Lab Acting Fellowship
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The TVI Actors Studio Career Enrichment Awards
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VASTA Award for Vocal Excellence in Performance
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The Dell'Arte Professional Training Program Scholarship/ Mad River Festival Fellowship
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The Shakespeare Theatre Acting Fellowship

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The Kingsley Colton Award for Outstanding Partner

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

Joe Calarco receives the Kingsley Colton Award for Outstanding Partner, 2007.

A special $500 scholarship, TheKingsley Colton Award, is also given to the actor named Best Partner. The scholarships are paid by the foundation directly to the institution of the student's choice and are not restricted to the study of theater arts. Each of the performers has chosen his or her own material and partner. Each finalist is limited to six minutes on stage.

2007
Joe Calarco, California State University - Fullerton, Partner to Adam Navarro

The National Stage Combat Workshop Fellowship

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

Roger Casey 2007 Society of American Fight Directors  Fellowship recipient.

Initiated in 1992, KCACTF and the Society of American Fight Directors will again offer a fellowship to one of the Irene Ryan Acting Award national finalists to attend the 2000 National Stage Combat Workshop.

Taking place for three weeks each summer at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the National Stage Combat Workshop involves intensive study in many aspects of the art of stage combat. The NSCW provides the stage combat student with the opportunity to study with SAFD fight masters, the top professional fight directors in the country. The workshop includes up to eight hours of daily instruction from four SAFD fight masters. Intensive instruction is provided in rapier and dagger, smallsword, broadsword, quarterstaff, and unarmed stage combat. All weapons are provided. At the close of the workshop, the student has the opportunity to take the SAFD actor/combatant skills proficiency test.

A representative of the Society of American Fight Directors will serve as an Irene Ryan national respondent and will select the recipient of the SAFD fellowship.

2007
Roger Casey, Montclair State University, Partner to Jon Barker

2006
Cheyenne Christian, University of Wyoming

2005
Rusty Tennant, University of New Orleans

2004
Kim Stauffer, University of N. Carolina, Greensboro

2003
Jarred Kjack, California State University-Fullerton

Classical Acting Award of Excellence

2007 Classical Acting Award winner Kelly Crump from Western Illinois University

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

Located on the campus of Williams College in the Berkshire hills of northwestern Massachusetts, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has acquired a national reputation for the artists it attracts and the gifted young actors, designers and directors it sends out into the world. Over 2,000 individuals have completed the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Apprentice Workshop. Santo Loquasto, Kate Hudson, Christopher Reeve, Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Jason Leigh all started their careers as WTF apprentices.

Apprentices alternate workshop classes and rotating production assignments. The apprentice will take intensive courses in acting, voice and movement, present scenes in progress and attend special seminars with guest and resident artists in acting, design, directing and playwriting. The apprentices also work in the theater’s scenes shop, publicity department, box office, production, administration and costumes. In eleven weeks, the apprentice will gain a thorough first-hand knowledge of the operation of a first-class professional theater

2007
Adam Navarro, California State University – Fullerton

2006
Ryan Nearhoff, California State University- Fullerton

2005
No Award Given

2004
Ray Muñoz

2003
Charlie Hudson III, Alabama State University- Montegomery

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

The Mark Twain Comedy Acting Award will be presented to an Irene Ryan Acting Award national finalists each spring. A cash award of $2,000 will be given for the best comic performance in the National Irene Ryan Evening of Scenes. Founded in 1999 and supported by Comedy Central, Inc. the award has as its primary goal to foster the finest in comic acting on the national level.

2007
Chris Crawford, University of Arkansas

2006
Winner- Stephanie Lovell, University of Wyoming,
2nd place (tie) Ben Elledge, University of Minnesota- Deluth
Rory Lipede, Fontbonne University

2005
Winner- Michele L. Egerton, Fitchburg State University
2nd place- Ricardo Ferreiro, Suffolk County Community College

2004
Winner- Ben Elledge, University of Minnesota- Deluth
2nd place- Christopher Grant, University of Evansville

2003
Winner-Kunal Nayyar, University of Portland
2nd Place - Charlie Hudson III, Alabama State University- Montgomery

Awarded to two finalists of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

The Margolis Method Summer Intensive offers a seven-day study of the performer's physicality as the basis for expression and gives the performer a muscular vocabulary with which to create physical dramatic art. Through this rigorous physical and vocal technique, performers broaden their expressive range and garner the skills that allow them to create meaningful original theater productions that place the actor at the center of the creative process. In a demanding yet supportive atmosphere, this class fosters artists’ ensemble awareness and improvisational skills. Inspired by the work of Decroux, Grotowski and Brecht, the Margolis Method reflects 25 years of research. All classes are taught by Kari Margolis, and are held at the Margolis Brown Theater Company's new Historic Landmark building in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

With the physical actor at the center of the creative process, the Margolis Brown Theater Company merges other media to create a modern theater of spectacle and celebration that is rich in metaphor, one that grabs an audience both emotionally and intellectually and affects them for a long time afterwards. The Company's research centers on the dramatic force and emotion that emanates from an actor's physicality.

Kari Margolis will serve as an Irene Ryan National Judge and will select the two fellowship recipients.

Margolis Brown Theater Company

2007
Kacey Musick, University of Southern Mississippi

2006
Matthew Renskers, Ball State University

2005
Eric Riedmann, Western Washington University
Jackie Mickel, Western Washington Univeristy

2004
Matthew Myer, UMD Baltimore County

2003
Marilyn Torres, Adelphi University

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

This is the beautiful setting of the Sundance Theatre Laboratory.

The Sundance Theatre Laboratory Acting Fellowship is awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program. The Sundance Theatre Laboratory is a three-week long workshop which offers playwrights, directors, choreographers, composers, solo performers, and ensembles the time, space, and support to develop new plays and musicals or to explore new approaches to existing scripts. The Lab provides a protected environment, without the pressures of production, and an ensemble of professional actors and resource artists to help shape work. The Sundance Theatre Laboratory is held in July at Sundance in Utah. Projects rehearse every day and actors are usually double cast. The KCACTF Sundance fellow will be part of the acting ensemble for the three-week workshop. Room, board, and transportation are provided. A representative from the Sundance Institute will serve as an Irene Ryan national judge and will select the Sundance acting fellowship recipient.

Sundance Theatre Laboratory

2007
Melody Betts, Western Illinois University

2006
Stephani Aguilar, Montclair State University

2005
Elise Link, University of Missouri- Columbia

2004
Jason Roth, UMD Baltimore County

2003
Kunal Nayyar, University of Portland

The TVI Actors Studio Career Enrichment Awards

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is pleased introduce a new educational partner by announcing the first annual Career Enrichment Awards sponsored by TVI Actors Studio. Nine full tuition scholarships to the TVI Summer Professional Acting Program in Los Angeles will be awarded: One Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship finalist or her/his partner in each region will receive a full tuition scholarship and one national finalist or her/his partner will receive a full tuition scholarship plus airfare and lodging. The national winner will also receive a one-year regional membership to TVI Actors Studio.

TVI’s Summer Professional Actor Training Program offers a unique opportunity for a select group of actors to study the craft and the business of acting with prominent industry professionals in America’s busiest entertainment markets-Los Angeles and New York City. Students are housed on the UCLA or NYU campus and train at TVI Actors Studio with industry professionals including producers, directors, talent agents, casting directors and faculty members from prominent theatre schools across the country.

A representative from TVI Actors Studio will select the recipients of the Career Enrichment Awards.

2006
Ben Hope, University of Central Florida

2005
Desmond Newsom, University of Central Florida

2004
Larry Herron, Western Michigan University

2003
Jeremy Clark, Purdue University

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VASTA Award for Vocal Excellence in Performance

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

VASTA's Award for Vocal Excellence in Performance is presented in recognition outstanding of acting and voice work. Recipients are awarded a $500 scholarship and a year's membership in VASTA, the Voice and Speech Trainer's Association.

VASTA is an international organization dedicated to advancing the highest standards of voice and speech use and artistry in all professional arenas. VASTA promotes the concept that the art of the voice and speech specialist is integral to the successful teaching of acting and to the development of all professional voice users.

2007
Kelli D. Crump, Western Illinois University

2006
Allan Mayo, Jr.

2005
Desmond Newsom, University of Central Florida

2004
Jennifer Leigh

2003
Jason McBeath

2002
J. Salome Martinez

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The Dell'Arte Professional Training Program Scholarship/ Mad River Festival Fellowship

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

KCACTF is delighted to offer the Dell'Arte/Mad River Festival Fellowship to be awarded to an Irene Ryan national finalist or partner. Dell'Arte International is a unique organization devoted to the art of the actor/creator and to the development of Theatre of Place. Dell'Arte, located in Pacific redwood region of Northern California. Blue Lake has become an American center for the exploration, performance, training and development of physical performance, attracting students from all over the world. Fellows will take daily classes offered by resident faculty and master classes by the international guest artists in residence for the Mad River Festival.

2007
Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako, University of Wyoming

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The Shakespeare Theatre Acting Fellowship

Awarded to a national finalist in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Program

The Shakespeare Theatre, Michael Kahn- Artistic Director, will offer a full-season Acting Internship with the company to an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominee or partner. The internship includes housing and a stipend. The Shakespeare Theatre, the United States' Premiere Classical Theatre, provides a unique opportunity for up to eight actors to participate in the full theatrical season of plays, in addition to classes and workshops with company members and guest artists. Acting interns receive training in text, voice & speech, Alexander Technique, acting Shakespeare and stage combat, in addition to performance experience.

2007
Chris Crawford, University of Arkansas