Pittsburgh Will Be the First-Time Host of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

Pittsburgh will be the first-time host city of the prestigious Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival events.   The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national organization promoting the educational and creative process of university and college theatre.

Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse will host and participate in the KCACTF’s Region 2 which includes Maryland, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Ohio, West Virginia and parts of New York and Virginia.   From 115 participating schools,  five college and university theatre programs are invited to share productions at which national respondents from the Kennedy Center offer feedback and recognize accomplishments.  

“This is an incredible opportunity for our Conservatory of Performing Arts students across all majors including actors, designers, stage managers, and more.  We are especially grateful to Pittsburgh Playhouse Properties Shop Manager Katie Mikula-Wineman for facilitating this exciting partnership,” said Garfield Lemonius, Dean of the Conservatory of Performing Arts and Artistic Director of the Pittsburgh Playhouse

Known as KCACTF56, the Region 2 events are not open to the public.  Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts will be performing Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s recent play Almost Equal To for the KCACTF56 event.  

The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival was founded 56 years ago and has held a conference every year since including  virtually during the 2021 and 2022 school years.  "As 2004 alumni, I am thrilled to be returning to campus in the Pittsburgh Playhouse and to bring theatre students from across our region to experience the same level of professionalism I was able to during my years at Point Park,” said Seth Werner, '04 BFA, theatre arts and manager of KCACTF Region 2.  

To learn more about Point Park University’s Conservatory of the Performing Arts and its theatre program here.