Jennifer Robbins of Walpole, a Saint Michael's College student, participates in American College Theater Festival regionals

2011 Feb 7

Jennifer Robbins, daughter of David and Tracey Robbins of Walpole, along with 16 other students from Saint Michael's College, participated in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) held Jan. 25-30 in Fitchburg, Mass. The Festival was sponsored by Fitchburg State University and was held at nearby Sheraton and Marriott conference centers.

Robbins, a junior theater major, graduated from Montrose School before coming to Saint Michael's, which is located in Burlington, Vermont, one of the top 10 college towns in America. The Saint Michael's College contingent participated in workshops, seminars, productions, auditions, the Critics Institute, performances and tech conctruction.

Four Saint Michael's students, Nathaniel Beliveau, Kit Rivers, Natalie Budnyk, and Katie Healy were nominated by regional respondents for outstanding acting in SMC productions of The Notebook of Trigorin and The Art of Dining. The nomination earned them the opportunity to audition with their acting partners, Katelyn Brisson, Jamie Deuell, Marla Caram and Abby Meachem in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions, along with some 300 acting students from other colleges and universities in New England at the Festival.

The entire ACTF program drew over 1,200 students and faculty for a week of seeing plays, networking, auditioning and interviewing for summer or professional work, learning about new theater technology, exploring opportunities beyond acting and design in such areas as writing, dramaturgy, criticism and stage management.

"Students get inspired at this Festival-they learn so much, and bring back wonderful enthusiasm to their theater education and to our college productions," said SMC Professor Catherine Hurst, who accompanied the students.

Prof. Hurst wins Excellence in Directing Award

SMC Professor Catherine Hurst was co-vice chair of the KCACTF regional conference, helping to organize the entire event. Professor Hurst was also honored with the regional directing award-Excellence in Directing-for the Saint Michael's College production of The Art of Dining.

Goals of the American College Theater Festival are to encourage, recognize, and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs; provide opportunities for participants to develop their theater skills and insight; achieve professionalism; improve the quality of college and university theater in America; encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, especially those written by students; the classics, revitalized or newly conceived; and experimental works.

Learn What Matters at Saint Michael's College, The Edmundite Catholic liberal arts college, www.smcvt.edu . Saint Michael's provides education with a social conscience, producing graduates with the intellectual tools to lead successful, purposeful lives that will contribute to peace and justice in our world. Founded in 1904 by the Society of St. Edmund and headed by President John J. Neuhauser, Saint Michael's College is located three miles from Burlington, Vermont, one of America's top college towns. It is identified by the Princeton Review as one of the nations Best 371 Colleges, and is included in the 2011 Fiske Guide to Colleges. Saint Michael's is one of only 280 colleges and universities nationwide, one of only 20 Catholic colleges, with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Saint Michael's has 1,900 undergraduate students, some 500 graduate students and 100 international students. Saint Michael's students and professors have received Rhodes, Woodrow Wilson, Pickering, Guggenheim, Fulbright, and other grants. The college is one of the nation's top-100, Best Liberal Arts Colleges as listed in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

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