AU performs at American College Theater Festival

The Alfred University Theatre Department had the honor of attending the Region II Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), held at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Jan.12-16, for its production of “Widows” by Ariel Dorfman.

“Widows” was selected from more than 200 entries from Region II, which includes colleges and universities from western New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

The play, which is set in an unnamed, war-torn South American village, details gruesome abuse of villagers by an oppressive government, and some acts of civil disobedience by the women and children who are waiting for their men—who mysteriously and forcefully disappeared--to return home.

Director Steve Crosby, lighting and set designer Marketa Fantova and technical director Zach Hamm, as well as the 24 students who were involved with the production, spent three days restaging and reworking the production prior to the festival.

At the festival, each production was limited to a four-hour load-in, which included everything from reconstructing the set and laying out the dressing rooms to gelling and programming the lights and setting up the video and sound equipment.

AU gave two performances of the show, at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Sat. Jan. 16.

Crosby wrote in an email to the Fiat Lux that despite the enormous time pressure and lack of sleep, “The students rose to the occasion and did an exemplary job. Their afternoon performance at KCACTF equaled or surpassed their best in Alfred during the original production.”

AU was awarded an “Honorable Mention” for being a runner-up for the “Golden Hand Truck Award,” which goes to the production team with the fastest load-in and load-out. The award for best show in the region has not yet been given.

“Our students specifically were recognized publicly for their ability to work together on such a complicated set, and with such good spirit,” Crosby said.