ISU Theatre student earns Kennedy Center honors

Bobbie Buie (’25 performing arts, English) earned top honors from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), Region 5, for his scenic design for the spring 2024 ISU Theatre production “Always Plenty of Light in the Starlight All-Night Diner.” Buie will represent Iowa State and Region 5 this April at the Kennedy Center’s national festival in Washington, D.C.

Buie participated in the regional festival in Des Moines, held January 19 – 25. The event hosted 1,300 college and university students and faculty from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas and Missouri. Iowa State had 39 students and four faculty members in attendance, many of whom also received honors and awards.

KCACTF is a national organization affiliated with the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The organization celebrates and encourages excellence in college and university theatre across the country. Its mission statement states that “through regional and national festivals, KCACTF participants celebrate the creative process; see one another’s work, and share experiences and insights within the community of theater artists. KCACTF honors the excellence of overall productions and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing, and design.” Region 5’s festival includes competitions, workshops, and exhibitions in all areas of theatre, including acting, directing, playwriting, criticism, design, dramaturgy, and technical theatre.

Fiona Addy (’26 performing arts) was a finalist in the Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC) event and was named as the alternate to represent Region 5 at the national festival.

Canaan Richardson (’28 performing arts) and Tayden Bacaam (’25 performing arts) made it to the finals of the Musical Theatre Dance Intensive. They worked with Broadway choreographer Josh Walden and performed at Hoyt Sherman Theater. Mia Nollett (’25 environmental science) advanced to the semi-final rounds.

Scout Kuehn (’27 performing arts, environmental science) and her scene partner Michael McAuliff (’26 history) advanced to the semi-final round of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions, one of the largest festival events with over 500 student participants.

Teaching Professor Kelly Marie Schaefer displayed her costumes for “Die Fledermaus” through an invitation to participate in the annual Region 5 Costume Parade.

Alex Harrell (’25 performing arts) was cast in “Connections” by Celeste Michael, a ten-minute play staged at the festival as part of the National Playwriting Program.

The following Iowa State students and faculty were honored with KCACTF Certificates of Merit for their work on 2024 ISU Theatre productions:

• Macey Brackin, properties design, “Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner”
• Aaron Mueller, sound design, “Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner”
• Rowan Kidd, costume design, “Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner”
• Hannah Johnson, lighting design, “Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner”
• Kenedy Panosh, stage management, “Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner”
• Bobbie Buie, scenic design, “Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner”
• Production team, composition, “John Proctor is the Villain”
• Ensemble performance, “John Proctor is the Villain”
• Valentine Chenus, stage management, “The Crucible”
• Liam Ray II, original music composition, “The Crucible”
• Liam Ray II, assistant direction, “The Crucible”
• Nicole Friess-Schilling, dramaturgy, “The Crucible”
• Samuel McDaniel, puppet design, “Fairy Tales for the Anthropocene”
• Trevor Fitzpatrick, technical direction, “Fairy Tales for the Anthropocene”
• Annika Baker, stage management, “Fairy Tales for the Anthropocene”
• Bobbie Buie, lighting design, “Fairy Tales for the Anthropocene”
• Jodi Goble, music direction, “Die Fledermaus”
• -Rob Sunderman, scenic design, “Die Fledermaus”

Brad Dell, chair of the Department of Music and Theatre, is the national chair of KCACTF. Schaefer serves as the hospitality coordinator and past chair of Design, Technology, and Management for Region 5.

Iowa State has previously hosted the festival in Ames four different times in 1999, 2007, 2011, and 2012.