So.....I’m being honored.
I couldn’t go public with this right away because there wasn’t an official statement yet but now that there is.......
THE KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATER FESTIVAL has invited my play to be presented at their Region IV festival this February.
So the Kennedy Center Festival is a Theater festival that is held once a year and it celebrates theater artists all over the U.S. but they are split into regions. My region is #4
which covers all the states in red plus Puerto Rico
so basically among all of these states, my play is among the top 3 one act plays with a chance of going national in Washington D.C.
They also honor all design categories (Sound, Costume, Set/Scenic, Lighting, Makeup, Props etc) and Directing, Dramaturgy, Stage Management and especially Acting and they have both student and faculty categories but Playwriting and Acting are the only 2 where you don’t just get nominated by a professor and you go because the festival actually SEES your skills through play submissions and festival officials coming to performances.
The festival takes place in a different area within the region. Last year it was in Americus, Georgia.
This year it will be in Spartansburg, South Carolina (so shoutout to any of my followers that are from there!)
There’s a lot to unpack here. In less than 2 months I have to get together with the theater department at my university to put together a production to be presented in front of hundreds of people from many different areas of the country. By far my biggest audience.
Also, I’m from Florida but I’ve never been beyond Georgia (I have family there) so South Carolina will be a whole new adventure for me and besides the festival, that alone is really scary yet exciting.
If I’m being honest,with the move and the family drama most of you know about, this has really been the only thing keeping me going. My career as a playwright has finally begun to grow and I finally have a foot in the door (as my mom calls it). The actual emotion of it hasn’t hit me yet, but it probably will when I get back into my department at school. I’ve told most of my friends from school and they’ve all congratulated me and I’ve told those who are already going to the festival that I’m going to need them for this production.
It still feels so unreal to me. I’m in a new house and now I have a new adventure waiting for me this February.