The University of Indianapolis faculty-directed production of Theresa Rebeck's Spike Heels was selected to participate in the 41st annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, hosted by Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Michigan January 6-11, 2009. The company of 20 cast, crew, faculty, and staff spent a productive six days at the festival. The Spike Heels company loaded in, performed, and loaded-out the production, which played three sold-out performances. Directed by UIndy faculty member, Brad Wright, Spike Heels was one of only eight shows chosen from among 41 college productions in a five state region to be performed at KC/ACTF's Region III festival. The production was originally performed in The University of Indianapolis Studio Theatre in November and December, 2008.
Stephanie Kucsera, sophomore Theatre and English teaching major, won the Barbizon Award for Theatrical Design Excellence in Costume Design for her design of our production of Into The Woods. The competition included undergraduate and graduate students from Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In April, 2009, Stephanie travelled to Washington, D.C. to represent Region III and competed with designers from around the country at the National American College Theatre Festival at the Kennedy Center. She was awarded an Honorable Mention for Emerging Artist in the national competition.
Based on his performance in Spike Heels, junior Theatre and Communications major Alex Oberheide was invited to the KCACTF National Festival at the Kennedy Center, April 14-19, 2009, as one of three acting students around the country offered a National Selection Team Fellowship. The Fellowship included round-trip airfare, tickets to the invited productions of the Festival, participation in the master classes offered to the national finalists of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, and casting in various KCACTF new play award and short play showcases (script-in-hand readings) with professional casts from the Washington, D.C. community. In addition, three students received National Selection Team Commendations for their work on Spike Heels. These commendations reflect distinguished achievement associated with productions invited to the regional festival: Alex Oberheide for his performance as Edward; Britany Frymier for Costume Design; and Danielle Buckel for Props Design.
In Saginaw, Alex and his partner, Chelsea Anderson, represented the University of Indianapolis in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition and advanced to the final round of 16 out of over 280 competitors. Chelsey Wood and her partner Stephanie Kucsera also represented UIndy well in the competition.
The cast of Spike Heels included:
Chelsey Wood as Georgie
LaMont Hendrix as Andrew
Chelsea Anderson as Lydia
Alex Oberheide as Edward
The production staff included:
Technical Director Fritz Bennett (UIndy staff member)
Assitant Technical Director Lucas Souder
Stage Manager Ann Beckette
Tour Manager Chelsea Anderson
Scenic Designer Stephanie Kucsera
Lighting Designer Amanda Schwab
Costume Designer Britany Frymier
Hair/Make-up Designer Amy Patterson
Sound Designer Mason Absher
Asst Stage Manager/Deck Captain Danielle Buckel
Sound Board Operator Manny Casillas
Light Board Operator Amanda Schwab
Costume Crew Arianne Villareal
Run Crew Linda Atwell, Joey Hansell, Kyrsten Lyster, Drew Pastorek, and Amber Presslor
Front of House Manager Stephanie Kucsera
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