BIRMINGHAM, AL — Sixteen University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) theatre students have been nominated for theatre awards by the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival (ACTF). The nominated students have been invited to compete in the regional ACTF competition in Spartanburg, S.C., February 5-10.

ACTF judges, called respondents, attended all of the UAB Department of Theatre’s productions in 2001 and nominated the students based on their performances. The 13 students nominated for the regional $500 ACTF Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship are Jon Hennington and Rachel Burttram for “The Importance of Being Earnest;” Audrey Quinn and Jim Whitson for “Flyin’ West;” Michael Hicks and Lee Turner for “A Man’s A Man;” Jared Rausch, Jamie Cottle, Suzanne Ludovina and Joel Helms for “The Passion of Dracula;” and Adrienne Reid, Wes Seals and Jessica Clark for “Hay Fever.” The scholarships are made possible through a foundation formed by the late Irene Ryan, best known as “Granny Clampett” from “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

Three students have been nominated for the ACTF Barbizon Design Awards: James Ball for scenic design and Daniel Walker for lighting design in “Flyin’ West,” and Jonida Beqo for costume design in “A Man’s A Man.”

The regional competition in Spartanburg includes colleges from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Through two rounds of auditions and eliminations, one winner and an alternate will be chosen to perform at the national competition in April at the Kennedy Center in New York City. Two winners will be selected there to receive $2,500 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships. National winners of the Barbizon Awards will receive a $500 honorarium and a 7-day trip to New York City.