UIndy actors earn honor, opportunity
Stephanie Kucsera and Alex Oberheide received recognition for their acting and design abilities.
By Jacki Dillman | Feature Editor
University of Indianapolis sophomore Stephanie Kucsera and junior Alex Oberheide earned attendance at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre National Festival (KC/ACTF) at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. the week of April 13-19.
Adjunct Theatre Professor Jen Alexander will accompany them.
Kucsera will be competing for the national winner of the Barbizon Awards for Theatrical Design Excellence in Scenic, Costume and Lighting Design.
Kucsera is competing with the costume design she completed for the 2008 UIndy performance of the musical “Into the Woods.” If selected, she will receive a seven-day, all-expenses-paid trip to New York City as well as a $500 cash prize.
Oberheide will not be competing at KC/ACTF. Respondents who were impressed with his performance in “Spike Heels” selected him to attend the festival to observe and learn.
Oberheide has the unique opportunity to attend the festival without the stress of competing. However, he will be auditioning for the Washington Shakespeare Company as part of the festival.
“Other than adding a very shiny spot to my resume, this will be a great opportunity to learn and improve,” Oberheide said.
The two UIndy students will be provided with opportunities to attend workshops, master classes, performances and to meet with influential people in the theatre industry.
Until Oberheide and Kucsera were selected for this year’s festival, no UIndy student had attended since 2003.
In 2003, UIndy theatre major Sonja Hethcote attended and competed in the national ACTF festival. She was a winner of the top stage management honor: the National Stage Management Fellowship.
“After extensive interviews and submission of materials to the national festival, she [Hethcote] was chosen from among the eight regional winners in stage management to receive the national distinction,” said Brad Wright, associate professor and director of theatre.
According to Oberheide, this will be a great opportunity for the students as well as the theatre department as a whole.
“We are such a cohesive group,” Oberheide said. “And I’m excited to share my experiences with the other members of the department.”
