January 17, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Theatre production “In the Blood,” by Suzan-Lori Parks, will compete in the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), Feb. 5-10, at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. “In the Blood” is one of five shows chosen for regional competition from among 60 participating entries in the 10-state region.

Members of the cast and crew, as well as students from other 2007 UAB productions, also are nominated for awards for excellence in performance and design.

In preparation, Theatre UAB will present a special performance of “In the Blood” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Alys Stephens Center’s Sirote Theatre, 1200 10th Ave. S. Admission is free; donations to defray travel expenses will be accepted. Reservations are not required. Call 205-934-3236 for more information.

The UAB Theatre production of “In the Blood,” directed by Dennis McLernon, M.F.A., features students Jasmaine McCorvey of Montgomery, Benoit Johnson of Madison, Keith Pettway of Marbury, Brittney M. Williams of Birmingham, Tim Craig of Birmingham and Emily Soffe of Enterprise, with Stefannie Azoroh of Huntsville, Jereme Lewis of Enterprise, Shari D. Perry of Phenix City and Robin M. Reed of Mobile as the Chorus. Student Jonathon Offutt of Bossier City, La., is lighting designer and student Dustin Cañez of Tuscaloosa is stage manager.

McCorvey, Johnson and Soffe are nominated for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Awards. Other UAB nominees for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Awards are Sandra Aguilar and Jessica Walston, both of Hoover, for “The House of Bernarda Alba”; Tobie Windham of Birmingham and Johnson for “The Tempest”; Luke Harlan of Fayetteville, Ark., and Walston for “Our Town”; and Ethan Feigel of Hattiesburg, Miss., and Aimee Fincher of Decatur for “Largo Desolato.”

Nominations for the Barbizon Lighting Design Award include Offutt for “Largo Desolato” and Sarah Jordan of Jacksonville, Fla., for “Our Town.” Cañez is nominated for his sound design for “The Tempest,” Reid Patton of Hoover for his scene design for “Our Town” and Amanda Mattes of Hoover for her costume design for “Largo Desolato.” Stage Management Award nominees include Jordan for “Largo Desolato” and Ashleigh Butgereit of Huntsville for “The House of Bernarda Alba.”

Jordan and Butgereit are nominated to compete for the Stage Management National Fellowship at the festival. Cañez and Soffe will participate in the KCACTF Student Director’s Project. UAB Associate Professor Dennis McLernon is selected as one of seven Faculty Directing Mentors chosen from the region.

Through state, 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. The KCACTF honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing and design.