Awards

Liz Fisher: Princess Grace Foundation for Directing

The Austin Critics’ Table Awards were started by the Austin Critics’ in 1992 to honor professional regional productions in and around the Austin area. Texas State is honored to have received the following recognition from this organization.

2014-2015 Nominations and Wins

• Won - Best Production - Kiss Me Kate
• Won - Best Choreography - Cassie Abate - Kiss Me Kate
• Won - Best Costumes - Michael Raiford - Kiss Me Kate
• Nominated for Best Musical Direction - Emily Goldman
• Best Actress - Elizabeth Brady _{Awarded Special Citation for Outstanding Student Work}

2013-2014 Nominations and Wins

• Best Production - Anything Goes
• Best Director - Kaitlin Hopkins - Anything Goes
• Won- Best Choreography - Cassie Abate - Anything Goes
• Won- Best Musical Direction - Greg Bolin - Anything Goes
• Best Actress-Annie Wallace - Anything Goes _{Awarded Special Citation for Outstanding Student Work}

2012-2013 Nominations and Wins

• Won-Best Production- Urinetown
• Won- Best Choreography- Urinetown
• Won-Best Supporting Actress- Sydney Roberts- Urinetown

2011-2012 Nominations and Wins 

• Won-Best Production- Oklahoma
• Best Direction- Oklahoma and Hair
• Won-Best Musical Direction-Oklahoma and Hair
• Best Choreography- Hair
• Outstanding Student Work- Tim Heller

2010-2011 Nominations and Wins

• Best Production- The Wild Party
• Won-Best Director- All Shook Up and The Wild Party
• Best Ensemble- All Shook Up
• Won Best Musical Direction- All Shook Up and The Wild Party
• Won-Best Choreography- All Shook Up and The Wild Party
• Won-Best Costumes- All Shook Up

2009-2010 Nominations

• Best Production directed by Kaitlin Hopkins - Bat Boy
• Best Choreography - Robin Lewis - Bat Boy

2014 Winners

Best Choreography

• Cassie Abate - Anything Goes - Texas State University

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

• Helen Regula - Anything Goes - Texas State University

Best High School or College Production of a Musical or Play

• Anything Goes - Texas State University

The Nominations are gathered by Austin Theatre Critics from Austin Entertainment Weekly and BroadwayWorld Austin 

Outstanding Contribution to Central Texas Theatre

• Kaitlin Hopkins

Outstanding Academic Theatre (Colleges or High Schools)

• Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance

Best Leading Actor in a Musical

• Stephen Brower as Billy Crocker – “Anything Goes” – Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance 

Actress in a Musical

• Annie Wallace as Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes,” Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

• Ian Saunders as Moonface Martin in “Anything Goes,” Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance

Best Production of a Musical

• Anything Goes – Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance

Best Scenic Design

• Michelle Nye – Anything Goes –Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance

Each year, multiple students have earned honors at the state and regional levels of the American College Theatre Festival. For each of the past 10 years our department has been recognized at the Kennedy Center. Individual students have been National finalists in the areas of scene design, lighting design, costume design, sound design, directing, acting, stage management, and playwriting.  In 2009, we were one of four schools chosen to have a play performed at the Kennedy Center. This page is dedicated to the achievements of our students with the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

2018

National Finalists

• Andrew Heinrich.   One of 16 national semi-finalists for the Gary Garrison Ten Minute Play award for his play, Canvas.
• Sidney Rushing.   One of 16 national semi-finalists for the John S. Cauble Outstanding Short Play award.
• Naomi Davis.  One of 16 national semi-finalists for the John S. Cauble Outstanding Short Play award.
• Lauren Ferebee.  One of 16 national semi-finalists for the Gary Garrison Ten Minute Play award.

Other winners

• Nick Hart.  Meritorious Achievement Award in Sound Design for his work on the departmental production of Hamlet.
• Stacey Johnson.  Barbizon Award for Excellence in Costume Design for her work on A Chorus Line.
• Andrew Gutierrez.  National Stage Management Fellowship award for his work on the Texas State production of Hamlet.
• Allison Price.  SDC Directing Initiative Award.

2017  

National Finalists

Five students advanced to Kennedy Center  

• TJ Young  (playwriting)

• Caitlin Turnage (playwriting)

• Bruce Turk (directing)

• Sally Rath (costume design)

• Brandon Newton (scenic design)

Other winners

• Musical Theatre Initiative National Finalist Runner-Up: Michael Burrell

• Region VI Finalist in Ten-Minute Play Competition for More and More: Jacob Burns

• SDC Directing Initiative Fellowship Runner-Up: Tom Delbello

• Region VI Award for Excellence in Sound Design for Fool for Love: MaeAnn Ross

• Musical Theatre Initiative Regional Finalist:  Jo Hogan

2016  

National Finalists

Five students advanced to Kennedy Center  

• Justin Beets  (lighting design)

• Sidney Rushing (playwriting)

• Liz Fisher (playwriting)

• Andrew Heinrich (playwriting)

• Nick Castañon (directing)

Other winners

• Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas Award for Excellence in Design and Technology, Doug Getzoff Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Design: Sally Rath

• USITT-SW Award for Excellence: Madelyn Bond

• Region 6 Award for Excellence in Costume Crafts and Technology: Ruby Rojas

• Meritorious Achievement in Stage Management: Gabi De La Rosa

• Musical Theatre Initiative Regional Winner:  Ryne Nardecchia  

• Musical Theatre Initiative Regional Finalist:  Michaela Boissonnault

• John Cauble Short Play Regional Finalist for Ruby's Baby Blue, Ten-Minute Play Regional Finalist for Hallmark: TJ Young

• John Cauble Short Play Regional Finalist for Shark Bait: Lexi Wintermute

2015  

National Finalists

Five students advanced to Kennedy Center  

• Austin Sanchez  (stage management)

• Joel Britt (stage management)

• Jordan Morille (playwriting)

• Kevin Talley (playwriting)

• Shelby Acosta (musical theatre)

National Winners

• Excellence in Stage Management: Austin [Trey] Sanchez

• Excellence in Lighting Design: Joel Britt

• John Cauble Award for Short Plays: Jordan Morille

• 10-Minute Play Award: Jordan Morille

• Musical Theatre Initiative Regional Winner:  Shelby Acosta  

• Ken Ludwig Award for Playwriting: Kevin Talley  

• 2nd place for National Student Playwriting Award: Kevin Talley

2014

National Finalists

Three students advanced to Kennedy center

• Brandon Rosen (lighting design) 

• Amelia Bahr (directing)

• Jordan Morille (playwriting)

National Winners

• Excellence in Lighting Design 1st Place Brandon Rosen

• Adrift in Macao  

SDC S Directing Initiative Regional Winner

• Amelia Bahr Tartuffe  

John Cauble Short Play

• Jordan Morille for Speedball  

National Partners in American Theatre Playwriting Award

• Jordan Morille Love, Norman, National Runner-up  

REGIONAL AWARD/RECOGNITIONS

Irene Ryan Acting Award Scholarship

• Joy Greenawalt (partner: Matthew Holcomb)

• Danezion “Zeke” Mills (partner: Taylor Scorse)

SDC Student Directing Initiative

• Amelia Bahr  

• Melissa Utley

• James Robert Moore

• Daniel Anderson

Musical Theatre Initiative

Musical Theatre Initiative Regional Winner:  

• 1st Place Shelby Acosta

• First Alternate Joey Saffren

Scenic Art

Josh Samaniego Regional Winner -Adrift in Macao.

10-Minute Play Regional Finalists

• Kevin Talley, Monogamy Cult(Also National Semi-Finalist) 

• Kevin Talley, Orphan Warlord

• Jordan Morille, Jackalope  

• Jordan Morille 1st alternate for regional White Tail

One-Act Play Regional Finalists

• Kevin Talley  Magic Kingdom  

• Jordan Morille, Speedball (Advanced to Kennedy Center as National Finalist)

• Jordan Morille 1st alternate Staff of Burning Skies

2013

NATIONAL FINALISTS    

• Four students advanced to Kennedy Center

• Jordan Morille (playwriting)

• Rita Anderson (criticism)

• Erin Kinkade (scene design)

• Natalie Nergaard (costume design)

NATIONAL WINNERS    

• Excellence in Scene Design                

• Erin M. Kinkade Lend Me a Tenor 

• Excellence in Costume Design

• Natalie Nergaard  Hair  

 
Regional Winners of Playwriting Awards

• Best One-Act Play 

• Jordan Morille

• Corey Kwoka

• Rita Anderson 

Best Ten-Minute 

• Jordan Morille

• Phoebe Torres

Regional Finalist

• Kevin Talley

• Rita Anderson 

National Association Partners of American Theatre Award Nominee 

• Rita Anderson

Meritorious Achievement in Costume Design

• Heather White Gruesome Playground Injuries 

 
LIGHTING DESIGN AWARD

Meritorious Achievement in Lighting Design
Jesse Wyman  Into The Woods  

Regional Design Awards

• Erin M. Kinkade  Parmageddon 

DESIGN AND TECHNICAL PROJECT AWARD COSTUME DESIGN

• Heather White Into the Woods

 
SCENIC ART AWARD

• Josh Samaniego      Picasso at the Lapin Agile

  
Musical Theatre Initiative Awards

• Lakeisha Houston, 1st Place, received a $3500 scholarship The Performing Arts Project 

• Alex Zeto, First Alternate

• Jessica De Jong, Honorable mention

• Shelby Acosta, Honorable mention

 
Directing Regional Finalists

• David Weynand

• Julian Verner

 
Irene Ryan Acting Regional Finalists (with Partner)

• Lakeisha Houston  (Alex Zeto)

• Evan Davies   (Brianna Ripkowski)

• Zudhi Boueri  (Johnique Mitchell)

 
2012

NATIONAL FINALISTS  

5 Students advanced to Kennedy Center

• Rita Anderson (Criticism)

• Julia Chinnock-Howze (Dramaturgy)

• Crystal Franz (Directing)

• Lupe Flores (Playwriting)

• Angeliea Stark (Acting)

NATIONAL WINNERS

• Lupe Flores won the Ken Ludwig Playwriting Scholarship Award (for best body of work)

• Crystal Franz has been invited back to work on the KCACTF Summer Intensive in Playwriting

• Angeliea Stark won prestigious year-long internship with the Tony-winning Actors Theatre of Louisville.

IRENE RYAN ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

National Finalist

• Angeliea Stark

• 2nd Alternate for Nationals:  

• Lizette Zuniga

• Other Regional Finalists: Sean McGibbon, Kelly Matthews (Annie Wallace=Alternate)

SDC STUDENT DIRECTING INITIATIVE REGIONAL WINNER:

• Crystal Franz 

• Robert Wighs 

• Aaron Johnson 

O’NEILL NATIONAL CRITICS INSTITUTE REGIONAL WINNER:

• Rita Anderson

• Dorothea Zeitler, Regional Runner-up

LMDA/KCACTF DRAMATURGY AWARD:

• Julia Chinnock-Howze

MUSICAL THEATRE INITIATIVE

• Tim Heller, First Place –received a $3500 scholarship to attend The Performing Arts Project

• Alexandra Zeto, 2nd Place

• Lakeisha Houston, 3rd Place

• Natalie Rankin, Honorable Mention

• Finalists also included: Emily Gee, Trevor McGinnis, Phillip Cole White

10-MINUTE PLAY REGIONAL FINALISTS:

• Can I Keep You by Nick Catoire (National Semi-Finalist; in consideration for Kennedy Center)

• Vice by Guadalupe Flores

ONE ACT PLAY REGIONAL FINALISTS:

• Down by the Highway by Guadalupe Flores 

• (National Semi-Finalist; in consideration for Kennedy Center)

• Final Conversation by Rita Anderson

• Superluminal by Guadalupe Flores

FULL-LENGTH PLAYS

Guadalupe Flores’s Hurricane Season, is one of the two Region 6 nominations for the David Mark Cohen Award; this makes it one of 16 National Finalists for the Cohen Award.  

NATIONAL DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT AWARDS:  

COSTUME DESIGN:

• 2nd Place for Excellence in Costume Design

• Toni Cruz, for Anna in the Tropics    

• Meritorious Achievement in Allied Design and Technologies

• Natalie Nergaard, for Oklahoma!

LIGHTING DESIGN

• 2nd Place for Excellence in Lighting Design

• Nick Swanson, for Almost, Maine     

SCENE DESIGN:

• Meritorious Achievement in Properties

• Joshua Samaniego and Erin Kinkade, for Oklahoma!

    
Additional Acknowledgements:

• Faculty member Michelle Ney received the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Gold Medallion Award for Excellence in Leadership and Organization.
• Graduate student Robert Wighs has been selected to be an assistant director for the MFA playwriting initiative this summer at the Kennedy Center.
• Acting student Phillip Ray Guevara has received job offer with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, a Tony Award-winning company.

2011   

NATIONAL FINALISTS  

Six Students advanced to Kennedy Center

• Oscar Cabrera (acting)

• Guadalupe Flores (playwriting)

• Laura Garza (directing)

• Georgia Young (dramaturgy)

• Katherine Beamer (stage management)

IRENE RYAN ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship National Finalists

• Oscar Cabrera

10-MINUTE PLAY FINALISTS

• Guadalupe Flores The Coyote Strategem

SDC STUDENT DIRECTING INITIATIVE FINALIST

• Laura Garza

O’NEILL CRITICS INSTITUTE FINALIST

• Georgia Young

LMDA/KCACTF DRAMATURGY AWARD

• Georgia Young

STAGE MANAGEMENT

National Stage Management Fellow Award Finalist

Katherine Beamer Electra

IRENE RYAN ACTING SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

National Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship National Finalists

• Oscar Cabrera

• Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship 1st Alternate:  Ben Mayne    

• Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship 2nd Alternate:  Brandon Mabry    

 
Best Partner, Finals 

• Keylee Koop

Best Partner, Semi-Finals

• Keylee Koop

10-MINUTE PLAY FINALISTS

• Guadalupe Flores The Coyote Strategem

ONE ACT PLAY FINALISTS

• SCOTT MATTHEW HARRIS The Fattist

SDC STUDENT DIRECTING INITIATIVE FINALIST

• Laura Garza

O’NEILL CRITICS INSTITUTE FINALIST

• Georgia Young

LMDA/KCACTF DRAMATURGY AWARD

• Georgia Young

KCACTF BARBIZON COSTUME DESIGN:

National Finalist
1st Alternate Brynn White Electra

KCACTF BARBIZON NATIONAL SCENIC DESIGN

National Finalist
1st Alternate Garrett Parke Electra

Meritorious Achievement in Scenic Design

Blake Whitaker All Shook Up

STAGE MANAGEMENT

NATIONAL STAGE MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP AWARD FINALIST:

• Katherine Beame Electra

• 1st Alternate Ray Wyman All Shook Up

        
LIGHTING DESIGN

Excellence in Lighting Design

• Miriah Borden Dead Man’s Cell Phone  

SCENIC ART

Meritorious Achievement in Scenic Art

• Mary Kathryn-Roothame The Wild Party

Addition Acknowledgements

• Faculty Kaitlin Hopkins received a Meritorious Achievement Award for Directing All Shook Up

2010   

NATIONAL FINALISTS  

• Rae Wyman (stage management)
• Caleb Straus (directing)

Merit Awards and Irene Ryan nominations 

• Reasons To Be Pretty
• Merit award for sound design - Laura T. Garza and Branson Rosen
• Irene Ryan Nominees - Nancy Lynch and Nicholas Kier

ELECTRA

• Merit Award for costume design - Brynn Matwiczak
• Merit Award for Original Music Score - Richard Hall
• Irene Ryan Nominees - Ashley Rountree and Mandy Murphy

The History Boys

• Irene Ryan Nominees - Trevor Roderick and Matt Biery

Regional Finalist

• Christine Tankersley Long (Directing)

2009  

NATIONAL FINALISTS  

• A. John Boulanger    National Student Playwriting Award for House of Several Stories.

• House of Several Stories produced at the Kennedy Center.
• Vanessa Velasquez National Selection Team Fellowship for Scene Design for Caucasian Circle and House of Several Stories
• Caucasian Chalk Circle asked to hold for the Kennedy Center

2008   

• John Davenport  Stage Management for The Importance of Being Earnest

2007   

• Brian White  Scene Design for The Rocky Horror Show
• Sarah Lazorwitz  Lighting Design for The Rocky Horror Show

2006    

• Department recognized as Producer of Going After Cacciato by Romulus Linney from the novel by Tim O'Brien, winner of the David Mark Cohen Award for Best New Play

2005    

• Kindra Williams Costume Design for Metamorphoses

2004 

• Stephanie Mann Scene Design for Transposing Shakespeare

2003    

• Cole Wimpee   Irene Ryan Acting Finalist

2002    

• Monique Norman  Lighting Design for The Medeas 

2001    

• Chris Cox  Scene Design for Six Degrees of Separation

1999    

• Angela Valerio Costume Design for Turandot

National High School Musical Theatre Awards

Texas State is proud to have the following Bobcats as past Jimmy Award participants

• 2018 Jimmy Award Winner Renee Rapp $10,000 Scholarship
• 2017 John Fredrickson
• 2016 John Fredrickson
• 2015 Jimmy Award Winner Anthony Skillman $10,000 Scholarship
• 2015 Jimmy Award nominees- Anthony Skillman, Nick Eibler, and Chris Clark
• 2014 Jimmy Award nominee- Shane Shatterfield
• 2013 Jimmy Award runner-up- Michael Burrell $2,500 Scholarship
• 2013 Jimmy Award nominees- Chandler Lovelle, Michael Burrell and Ryne Nardecchia