CUTHBERT, GA (February 17, 2023) —Members of Andrew College Theatre traveled to Georgia Southern University to participate in Region 4 of KCACTF. In attendance were Woodall Academic Honorees: Dylan Kelly, Chance Mock, and Koldyn Swift, as well as Isaiah Carroll, Darris “D.J.” Hodges, Jr., Leshunti Mizell, Mailan McTier, and Hyde Wright. Associate Professor Deborah Liss-Green and Dean of Student Affairs Chicquan Cannon accompanied them to the competition.
Koldyn Swift and D.J. Hodges were nominated to participate in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition based on their performances in the fall production, which was entered as a KCACTF Associate Entry. At the Festival, D.J. performed in the Student Award-winning One-Act play reading. In addition to these acting honors, the following students received Woodall Grants to support their travel and participation:
Dylan Kelly participated in the Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy at KCACTF Region 4. For each of the four full days at the Festival, Dylan participated in workshops with the ITJA leaders and the guest artist, Jose Solís, a Honduran cultural critic. He is the founder/director of the BIPOC Critics Lab and the creator/host of Token Theatre Friends. During the workshops, Dylan participated in discussions and critical writing on the shows presented at the Festival. He received Honorable Mention honors at the concluding Gala.
Chance Mock was nominated to participate in the Dramaturgy Fellowship during KCACTF Region 4. His nomination was based on his dramaturgy work in our fall production for youth, “Trickster Tales,”; for which he did research and created educational materials for the school groups that attended. Before the Festival, he created a dramaturgy casebook to showcase his work that was reviewed by the professional dramaturg Heather Helinsky. Heather Helinsky is a freelance dramaturg based in Philadelphia and the new Literary Manager for Playwrights Foundation and Jewish Plays Project.
Koldyn Swift organized and led the Andrew College Theatre student-devised work that was entered into the Region Devised Theatre competition. He led the creation of an original performance piece that was inspired by the Kennedy Center National Devised Theatre Prompt: “To See and to Be Seen.” Their piece received responses from three professional performers and professors, including Festival Guest Artist–Bill Bowers, a Broadway veteran and renowned mime artist. The piece featured Koldyn, Malain, Chance, and Isaiah and was chosen to be performed at the closing festival gala and received a certificate for Excellence in Devised Theatre. Leshunti and Hyde served as the stage managers of the performance.
During the closing Gala, Deb Liss-Green was named an incoming Vice-Chair of Region IV. She will serve in this capacity for three years and as Co-Chair of the Region for three years.
About Andrew College
Established in 1854, Andrew College is related to The United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Situated in the rural southwest Georgia community of Cuthbert, Andrew College offers the Associate of Art, Associate of Science, Associate Degree in Nursing, Bachelor of Science and Certificates.
For more information about Andrew College, visit www.andrewcollege.edu.