The University of Indianapolis' student written and directed production of Coming Home was selected to participate in the 34th annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, hosted by the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Indiana January 8-13, 2002. The company of 35 cast, crew, faculty, staff, and friends spent a busy six days at the festival. Students Ron Popp and Jen Childers performed in the Irene Ryan acting competition with partners Sonja Carpenter and Jaime Smith. Ron and Sonja received the honor of advancing to the semi-final round of the competition. Chandra DeNap and Liz Spaeth entered designs in the design competition, and Adela Chipe performed in the 10-minute play reading competition. The Coming Home company loaded in, performed, and loaded-out the production. The show was a great success and the national selection committee asked Coming Home to "hold" production materials for possible performance at the national festival, however, the production did not advance to the national competition in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
Written by UIndy senior theatre major, Ron Popp, Coming Home was one of only nine shows chosen from among 50 college productions in a five state region to be performed at KC/ACTF's Region III festival. The production, which was originally performed in The University of Indianapolis Studio Theatre in April 2001, was entered in the Michael Kanin Playwriting Awards Program and is being considered for the National Student Playwriting Award. In addition, student director Mark Michalak and playwright Ron Popp received meritorious awards, which are awarded by the region for particularly significant production contributions. Stage manager Jaime Smith was nominated to take part as stage manager in the ten-minute play competition. Cast members Jennifer Childers and Kevin Grow were nominated to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition for their work on the original production.
The cast included:
Jen Childers as Jackie Milburn
Kevin Grow as John Milburn
guest artist Greg Tarbert as James Milburn
Chandra DeNap as Cindy Milburn.
The role of Eric, originally played by Irwin Sparkes, was played by Gary Clevenger at ACTF.
The production staff included:
Jeffrey Barnes, UIndy staff member, scenic designer
Matthew Gowin, UIndy theatre alum, as lighting designer
Shanelle Shrader, sound designer
Kashun Howell, assistant sound designer
Tiphanie Wampole, props
Ben Barhan costume designer
Jaime Smith, stage manager
Sonja Carpenter, assistant stage manager and tour manager
Christie Beckmann, UIndy staff member, stepped in as lighting designer when Matt Gowin was unable to participate. The Purdue University production of Sueno, for which he was the graduate lighting desginer, was also performed at festival.
Other members of the company included:
Kashun Howell, deck captain
Jeska Morrow, master carpenter
Liz Spaeth, scenic artist
Aaron Carman, master electrician
Kim Jordan, lightboard operator
Whitney Davis, soundboard operator
Chris Arthur, costumer
Krista Helms, Adela Chipe, Kyle Hurd, and Bradley G. Smith, run crew
Ashley Bergdoll, front of house
Melissa Adams, Ben Barhan, Adela Chipe, Sam Fain, Krista Helms, Brad Hinshaw, Kyle Hurd, Kelly Boyd, Ron Popp, Erika Robertson, Evan Shearin, and Bradley G. Smith load in/out crew
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