University Theatre’s production of “Dance Nation,” by Clare Barron, has received recognition from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) following its fall run.
A KCACTF respondent attended the Sept. 21 performance, directed by Audrey Lauren Standish, a teaching faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Drama, and praised the production, highlighting several individuals and the ensemble for their work.
Actors Amelie Rosenhagen and Ava Childs were nominated for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships, which recognize student performers and provide financial assistance for further study.
In addition, Certificates of Merit were awarded to:
- The “Dance Nation” ensemble, for showing how “each character was physically unique” and being “unrelenting in their communication and support of one another.”
- Costume designer Rebekah Jacobs, for “compelling storytelling through embodied costumes” and for “pioneered research in equitable costuming practice;” and
- Megan McCarty, for her “self-choreographed and performed final dance solo.”
The respondent also recommended that a scene from “Dance Nation” be considered for the Celebration of Associate Productions at the KCACTF Region 3 Festival, which will be held Jan. 6–10, 2026, at Madison Area Technical College.