A group of SUNY Oswego theatre students earned awards at the annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region 2 Conference earlier this year, showcasing a variety of skills, including acting, singing and technical theatre. Students were able to present their work to peers, educators and professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Ten Oswego students performed the final act of “The Laramie Project,” a play that explores the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shephard, a gay University of Wyoming student. Oswego’s theatre department put on its own production of the play in October.

"The chance to perform part of [Laramie] in Pittsburgh at KCACTF was a great way for them to feel recognized while representing our amazing Theatre Department at SUNY Oswego,” said SUNY Oswego theatre professor Steven Mazzoccone. “Throughout this process, I was constantly humbled and impressed by each student's dedication to this material… It was rewarding to see that spark again at the regional festival and for our production to be honored this way."

In addition to the ensemble’s success, several students received individual recognition at the festival. Cascade Benenati, Roni Monroe Smith and Artemis Doyle were celebrated for their exceptional achievements in Costume Construction, Assistant Costume Design and Scenic Design, respectively. 

Smith, a sophomore theatre major, earned costume design recognition for work on Oswego’s production of “John Proctor is the Villian.”

“A big thing in the production was sustainability, so almost all of our clothes were found through [the Office of Sustainability’s] Oz Thrift, so I was able to talk about that and basically thrifting for these characters and building these closets as sustainably as we could,” said Smith. “I think [the judge] really liked that and I’m glad [he did] because we try to do that a lot at Oswego… The sustainability aspect really caught their eye.”

Doyle, a junior majoring in theatre and music, impressed the adjudicators with a project they worked on in Basic Scene Design (THT 322), creating a scenic design concept for the play “Time Stands Still.”

“It's a play about this couple who are war journalists, and they come back after Sarah, one of the people in the couple, gets a really bad injury while being over there… She really wants to go back, but he wants to settle down, and it's kind of like a back and forth, and the relationship crumbles,” said Doyle. “So part of my design was I wanted like, that German smear… So it's like showing the cracks, and also, the plaster walls are seen a lot in the Middle East, and that's where a lot of the wars are that they go to. So I was like, ‘Oh, my God, it's like they're bringing the war home.’”

Faith Wilk, a sophomore theatre major, made the Oswego theatre department proud when she advanced to the finalist round of the highly competitive Musical Theatre Intensive Program. 

“There’s a preliminary round and there were about 250 students… [and] 10 people moved on to finals,” said Wilk. 

“They were all very long days. We did workshops separate from the auditions and were running around, so I went back to my room after my audition and a workshop, and I took a nap,” Wilk said jokingly. “I woke up to four missed calls from several of my friends and I was like, ‘What is going on? Is there an emergency?’ And they had all gotten an email while I was asleep that I made it to the final round. Everyone found out before I did!”

Wilk’s achievement is monumental for the Oswego theatre department, saying she believes she is the first Oswego student to be a finalist in the past 10 years.

Smith said that after he presented his costume design work at KCACTF, he was able to make valuable connections with industry professionals.

“During the presentation I had made a comment like, ‘working on John Proctor was kind of like wardrobing for a TV show,’ and one of the judges asked to talk to me afterwards…I went up to her and she started talking to me about the costume film industry. She emailed me a bunch of like collections and different internships she had,” said Smith. “It was kind of my first time actually going out into the workforce and networking. I was very grateful for the networking experience I had at Oswego because I felt like I could carry myself professionally and talk about myself positively.”

Krystal Kennel, department chair of the theatre department, reflected on the success of Oswego students at this year’s festival.

“The success of our students at KCACTF is a reflection of their incredible hard work, creativity and the support of our dedicated faculty,” said Kennel. “It’s an honor and a delight to see them recognized by this prestigious organization.”

A flexible, hands-on program

While discussing their experiences in the Oswego theatre department, several students pointed out the unique flexibility of the program, saying they have learned new skills and discovered new passions from the experience.

“I think Oswego in general, and specifically the theatre program, does such an incredible job at preparing us for the industry,” Smith explained. “A lot of schools, a lot of BFA programs are very specific and very [traditionally] academic, and so they don’t get as much hands-on practical experience.

"I’ve always been an actor first, but last semester, I started costume design and found out that I really like it. Being able to work on both at the same time is very specific to Oswego,” Smith added. “I don’t think a lot of schools could have a role actor and a costume designer in the same capacity, in the same show. I’m very grateful that Oswego lets me be well-rounded.”

Doyle, who came to Oswego as an actor but has since found a passion for stage management and tech roles, said they are grateful that Oswego’s theatre major allowed them to explore their options. 

“It's not like a fine arts program where you only do acting or you only do design. You take one class in everything,” said Doyle. “I'm really thankful that I came here because if I hadn't, I would have never had the experience of trying all these different things. Now I'm applying for jobs in the summer, and it's so much easier..  I'm so grateful for the theatre department as a whole.”

Doyle said their experience at KCACTF solidified their choice to pursue other theatre careers.

“Going to KCACTF this year, when I was finally, like, ready to open my horizons and be like, ‘Okay, I want to try stage management and tech and all this,’ it was just so eye-opening.”

Supportive faculty and peers

Students also expressed gratitude for the support they have received from Oswego faculty, and the inclusive environment cultivated in the department.

“Our professors who were with us, Steve and Megan Mazzoccone, commondeered a conference room at like 11:30 at night after we had all gone to a play, and they helped us rehearse until like 12:30 in the morning which was really nice,” said Wilk. “They had such good things to say and I think my auditions went way better because of that. I’m very grateful to them for that.”

Wilk also shared her personal story of being diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma her first week at Oswego, and was not able to be involved much in the department her first year. Now in remission, she reflected on how welcoming people were when she returned.

“When I came back, I was worried that everyone’s bonds were already sort of formed and I was never gonna find a place here, and that was definitely not the case,” said Wilk. “The first show I did here was last semester, 'John Proctor is the Villian.' Everyone was just so nice and inclusive and inviting, and I have great friends now.”

Smith emphasized the hands-on experience Oswego theatre faculty bring to the classroom.

“Our faculty and staff are so many industry professionals who have worked in professional theatre,” said Smith. “[Professor Danielle Aldea Hodgins] has worked in set design, costume design… she’s done a lot, and so her being able to be such a great mentor for me to learn about the industry through Oswego productions has just been such an incredible experience.”

Those interested in seeing the SUNY Oswego Theatre Department in action can see their production of “5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche,” opening March 27 and running through March 30 in Tyler Hall, room 46, with 7 p.m. performances.