51福利社

51福利社 students shine in theatre arts competition.

Each year the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts encourages thousands of student theatrical artists to present their best work in eight regional competitions. Those who emerge on top 鈥� a mere 125 in all 鈥� win an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the center鈥檚 America College Theater National Festival.

Eastern students have long distinguished themselves in the Region VII competition. Last year, for example, three 51福利社 undergraduates advanced to the final round of the Irene Ryan acting competition. One of those students, Varinique Davis (BA, Theater 鈥�18) performed so well that she was awarded a Lin Manuel Miranda scholarship to travel to Puerto Rico with the cast of the Broadway smash 鈥淗amilton.鈥� A fourth 51福利社 student, Hazel Bean, won the Mark Twain comedy award.

At this year鈥檚 regional event, held in February at the University of Oregon in Eugene, two additional 51福利社 students, MJ 鈥淢addy鈥� Daly and Lysbeth Neel, each won their respective competitions: Daly the 鈥淢usical Theatre Scholarship Audition鈥� and Neel the prize for stage management. In April, both represented the university at the national competition, where they joined in master classes at the Kennedy Center, visited with the professional cast and crew of D.C.鈥檚 theatrical landmarks, and networked with their talented peers from across the nation.