Oakland University's MARCUS; OR THE SECRET OF SWEET' Invited To Perform at Prestigious Theatre Festival

The Oakland University Department of Theatre's production of Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet has been invited to perform at the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, which takes place January 9-14 in Indianapolis.

Now in its 50th year, the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is a nationwide theatre program involving 180,000 college and university students from eight geographic regions in the United States. Region III includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

All five of Oakland's mainstage Department of Theatre offerings are KCACTF associate productions and have a response session with an outside adjudicator. OU's theatre faculty also serve as adjudicators and regularly respond to productions at other Michigan universities.

Once every two years the department selects one production to be considered for participation in the regional festival.

Participating productions have a response session with two members of the KCACTF regional selection committee. In December, the committee meets to talk about all the productions being considered and chooses seven productions to be presented at the festival. This year three productions are from Michigan, three are from Wisconsin and one is from Illinois State University.

To help offset the cost of the trip, the School of Music, Theatre and Dance will be hosting a special send-off performance of Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6 in Varner Studio Theatre. All proceeds support the students' participation in the festival.

In addition, Oakland University will have seven students competing in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition, which awards $500 scholarships to outstanding student performers at each regional festival. The scholarships are made possible by the generosity of the late Irene Ryan, who is best remembered for her portrayal of Granny in television's The Beverly Hillbillies.

This year, the nominees from OU include: Lily Talevski, nominated for her work in Rumors (with partner William Dunn); Emily Hadick, nominated for A Chorus Line (with partner Andrew Barikmo); Olivia Ursu, nominated for A Chorus Line (with partner Doran Berger); Tony Sharpé, nominated for Wiley and the Hairy Man (with partner Jordan Taylor); Hannah Faith Stevens, nominated for Bullets Over Broadway (with partner Emily Grossutti); Stephanie Gettings, nominated for Bullets Over Broadway (with partner Paige VanSickle); and Brandon Santana, nominated for his portrayal of Marcus in Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet (with partner Alaina Whidby).

Student designers also present their work for honors at the festival. This year, OU designers include: Shelby VanOrphem for her costumes for Rumors; Krystal Smoger for scenery for Bullets Over Broadway and costumes for Wiley and the Hairy Man; Emily Christenson for costumes for Bullets Over Broadway; Anita Holsey-Banks for lighting for Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet; Madison Walby for props and Emily Stoddard for painting, both on Bullets Over Broadway. Brenna Birr, Christenson and Smoger are also bringing conceptual projects.

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