Dept. of Theatre and Dance's UNMUTE YOURSELF Recognized with National Awards
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced the national awardees of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), and West Chester University’s Department of Theatre and Dance was again among the winners. All of the awards received were for West Chester University’s fall 2020 production of UNMUTE YOURSELF. Awardees were recognized in a digital ceremony on May 22, 2021, and included:
- Special Achievement in Projection Design or Digital Editing: Lionel McCullough
- Special Achievement in Stage Management: Becs Smith
- Special Achievement in Performance: Aaron Kirk
- Special Achievement in Company-Generated Work
- Special Achievement in Directing: Charlie DelMarcelle
UNMUTE YOURSELF was an original, student-led presentation with two live virtual performances via zoom. It explored the challenges, struggles, strategies, and peculiarities of trying to communicate and connect in an isolated, polarized, world. The production’s content, format, design and delivery was devised entirely by the student ensemble; who all created and collaborated remotely. The show was comprised of pre-recorded material, interwoven and spliced with moments happening in real time; and also included interaction from the viewing audience via the zoom live chat.
A statement released from the KCACTF says, “During these unprecedented times, we celebrate these imaginative and evocative theatre-makers and productions as being at the forefront of a revolution in artistry that ignites conversations of national importance through innovation in process, content, form, design, technology, outreach, and audience engagement.”
Read the full article and list of award winners in the Broadway World here.