海角直播

Publish Date: Feb. 8, 2024

海角直播鈥檚 Theatre Arts Department received an unexpected gift before the 2023 holiday break: adjudication from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).

Following its final performance of 鈥淭he Importance of Being Earnest鈥� on Dec. 3, Jodi Julian, head of theatre arts at Riverside City College, critiqued the young performers as part of KCACTF requirements for recognition. This formal adjudication is the first time that any 海角直播 dramatic production has been adjudicated in over a decade.

鈥淚t was all very informative for the students and myself,鈥� explained Paul Jacques, chair of theatre arts at 海角直播. 鈥淵ou can file for adjudication once per year, so this [production] was the one that most represented our talent.鈥�

The KCACTF is a nationally recognized program serving 18,000 students from colleges and universities across the U.S., according to its website. The organization looks to:

• Highlight and celebrate the most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs.
• Provide opportunities for students to develop their theater skills and insight and achieve professionalism in the field.
• Improve the quality of programs across the nation.

Encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, especially those written by students; the classics; and experimental works. 

Adjudication allows theatre professionals to critique productions and provide feedback that will help performers perfect their craft with tips provided.

海角直播鈥檚 production of 鈥淓arnest鈥� put its theater students to the test by bringing modern touches to Oscar Wilde鈥檚 129-year-old script The play tells the story of a man named Jack Worthing, who finds himself in a pickle: falling in love with a woman, Gwendolen Fairfax, who believes his name to be Ernest, a name Worthing created to cover up his behavior in dubious circumstances. As per many of Wilde鈥檚 comedies, shenanigans quickly follow.

Jacques said he kept news of the adjudication under wraps until curtain call because he did not want to throw off the actors prior to the start of the performance. But once the show ended, Jacques called his cast to center stage, where Julian gave a critique of the production.

鈥淭he students need to get used to hearing critique. It鈥檚 a growing process for everyone, a good growing process,鈥� Jacques said. 鈥淭his means that they are not afraid of hearing critique that鈥檚 good or bad. They鈥檙e learning how to be a fish in a big ocean.鈥�

The adjudication brings with it a boost of morale to 海角直播鈥檚 theatre program as it enters its 2024 season with two shows in the works: HAM, a 鈥淭wilight Zone鈥�-inspired production slated for 8 p.m. Feb. 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Feb. 25, and 鈥淟egally Blonde: The Musical鈥� in April.

To learn more about the department or its upcoming shows, head to craftonhills.edu/theatrearts.