Students from the Wayne State College drama department performed at the regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival from Jan. 19-25, and WSC theatre professor Rusty Ruth was given the Theatre Road Warrior award.
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), is a long-running theater festival where college students from across the country compete for scholarships, watch performances and attend acting workshops.
This year, WSC was represented by three different students, who were nominated to compete for an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. This scholarship is given to eight exceptional student performers across different regions of the country, with one national scholarship awarded. Ashly Gunderson, Eve Gilmore, and Ella Lewis performed at this year’s regional festival. Eve Gilmore, one of the students nominated to perform, said the experience was nerve-wracking, but the support from the other attendees helped with their anxiety.
“The power of a few friendly faces in a crowd cannot be overstated,” Gilmore said. “The atmosphere of the group was so incredibly supportive.”
All three teams from WSC made it to the final round of performances. Eve Gilmore and scene partner Madison Reisner placed third, and Ashly Gunderson and scene partner Mariah Pleskac placed fourth. Ella Lewis and scene partner Ava-Jane Albracht placed within the top 16 competitors.
In addition to the student performers, WSC theatre professor Rusty Ruth received the annual Theater Road Warrior award at KCACTF. The Road Warrior award is given to regional production respondents, faculty members who attend shows at colleges across the region and give their feedback to the students.
“It’s a way to pay back all the wonderful notes I was given as a student,” Ruth said.
Ruth said he appreciated the recognition, and he felt honored to join his colleagues who had received the award in the past.
“It’s quite an honor, because this award has been around in our region for over 25 years,” Ruth said.
This year’s achievement is particularly noteworthy, because it’s only the second time that WSC has had students advance beyond the first round of competition for the Irene Ryan scholarship. Ruth said he was incredibly proud to have all three competitors make it to the final round of competition.
“You never know if you’ll have this opportunity again, and the students really rose to the occasion,” Ruth said.
Ruth said he wasn’t only proud of the students, but also of his colleagues at the WSC theater department. “We’re still in shock of how well our work was received,” Ruth said.