• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Features
  • Campus News
  • CSUDH.edu
  • Contact
  • People
    • Staff Spotlight
    • Faculty Highlights
    • Alumni
  • Magazine
  • For Journalists
    • CSUDH In The News
    • Press Releases
    • Facts and Figures
    • Find Media Experts
    • Gallery
    • News Reporting on Campus

CSUDH News

The primary source of news and information about California State University, Dominguez Hills, its students, faculty, and staff.

You are here: Home / Archive / Features / CSU Dominguez Hills’ “Macbeth” at Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

CSU Dominguez Hills’ “Macbeth” at Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

February 14, 2011

The California State University, Dominguez Hills Department of Theatre and Dance was honored with an invitation to perform a scene from the fall 2010 production of “Macbeth” at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which took place Feb. 9 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Isaac Skye, the lead in "Macbeth," was nominated at the Festival for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.
Isaac Skye, the lead in “Macbeth,” was nominated at the Festival for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.

The students performed their scene in front of registered festival attendees as part of performances from 10 different colleges and universities from the KCACTF region VIII (Arizona, Central and southern California, Hawaii, southern Nevada, and Utah), including CSU Fullerton and Concordia University.

“The KCACTF regional VIII chair and judicator and a second judicator from Chapman University came to view ‘Macbeth.’ The judicator from Chapman gave feedback to the cast and she had wonderful, positive things to say. She nominated the show for the festival,” said Naomi Buckley (Class of ’00, B.A., theatre arts), the production’s director and a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts. “I found out through an email, around the holidays, that the scene had been selected. We were selected with nine other scenes from the 80 shows that were reviewed from the region. We are very honored to have our students recognized in this way.”

Alumna Naomi Buckley adapted and directed "Macbeth" for the Dominguez Hills stage.
Alumna Naomi Buckley adapted and directed “Macbeth” for the Dominguez Hills stage.

The students who originally acted in the selected scene of the CSU Dominguez Hills production returned to portray their roles at the festival.

“We performed the final scene where Macbeth, played by Isaac Skye, is done away with by Macduff, played by Marc Kerr. Lauren Valencia, Paola Carbajal, and Jase Mack also performed — as the three witches,” Buckley said.

Participating with those who share a passion for theatre was a rewarding experience for the actors.

“It was great to interact with students from other schools, seeing what they’re doing, and sharing and learning from them. It was fun seeing all the other productions and the students performing,” theatre major Lauren Valencia said. “No matter where we went, there were tons of theatre people all around. There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”

Lauren Valencia says that she is inspired by the opportunity to work in live theatre.
Lauren Valencia says that she is inspired by the opportunity to work in live theatre.

Students nominated from the KCACTF selected scenes were also eligible to vie as individuals in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship (Ryan is well known for her portrayal of Granny in the “Beverly Hillbillies”), from which the winners to go on to Washington D.C. where they compete for scholarships. Isaac Syke was nominated and paired up with fellow CSU Dominguez Hills theatre major Benni Latham to perform in this competition.

“My talented partner Benni and I received feedback from two respondents for our scene from the play, ‘Dinner with Friends,’ written by Donald Margulies. They both echoed the sentiments that we chose a great scene and said we had a great connection with each other on stage. Rod Menzies, a well-respected theatre director and acting coach, mentioned our objectives were clear, and individual beats were well-defined,” Skye said.

The students got professional level feedback and a glimpse into a professional house.

“At first the theatre didn’t seem that big, but when we got downstairs, it was huge. It was a maze of several theatres and dressing rooms,” Valencia said. “I snuck a peek from the wings at two people introducing the show. They said they had planned the night to showcase talent in the region. Then the scenes just kept going, one right after the other. Some were full on productions — full plays, elaborately set up.”

Participating in the KCACTF made an impression on the student actors.

“I plan to act in front of the camera, but the more I do live theatre, the more I like live theatre. I have a new found love for the theatre. In fact, I’m going to see ‘Spring Awakening‘ at the Pantages…tonight!,” Valencia said.

This is the third KCACTF honor for the CSU Dominguez Hills theatre department.
In 1993, “Home,” written by Samm-Art Williams and directed by alumna Marla Gam-Hudson, (class of ’91, B.A., theatre arts), was the first. In 1997, “Six Degrees of Separation,” written by John Guare and directed by Sydell Weiner, professor and current chair of the theatre department, was the second.

This is the second time Buckley has been associated with a KCACTF honor. In addition to directing “Macbeth,” she was a cast member in “Six Degrees of Separation.”

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a national organization that celebrates the educational and creative process of university and college theatre. KCACTF promotes professional standards and provides students and faculty with opportunities to bridge the academic and professional worlds. KCACTF honors achievements in diversity and excellence in theatre.

To learn more about the CSU Dominguez Hills production of “Macbeth,” click here.

To learn more about the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, click here.

For more information about the CSU Dominguez Hills Theatre and Dance program, contact the theatre office at (310) 243-3588 or click here.

Filed Under: Features Tagged With: Alumni, Art and Design, Awards, Faculty, Students

Recent Features

Ricardo Martinez with fellow youth commissioners at an outreach event in 2022.

Toro Makes an Impact as Youth Commissioner

January 12, 2023

At 23, CSUDH junior Ricardo Ortega Martinez Jr. is already a veteran in California politics. “My advocacy and community organizing started at the age of 17,” says Martinez, a political science major whose early experience with foster care growing up in Huntington Park helped shape the focus of his current advocacy ... Read More

Ken Seligson with The Maya and Climate Change book in foreground

New Book Explores the Resilience of the Ancient Maya

December 2, 2022

Throughout human history, civilizations have had to adapt to ever-shifting environments in order to survive—whether sudden, catastrophic climate events, or gradual changes that span centuries. These human-environmental relationships are at the center of The Maya and Climate Change (Oxford University Press, Nov. 2022), ... Read More

Helping Student Vets Chart a Path to Success

November 10, 2022

Tucked away on the third floor of Leo F. Cain Library, the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) may be small, but it exerts an outsized influence on the lives of students making the challenging transition from military service to academic life. “The Veterans Resource Center is the reason I’m here today and about to ... Read More

... see all Featured Stories

Primary Sidebar

Social Media

Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
LinkedIn
SOCIALICON

Secondary Sidebar

CSUDH EXPERTS

Student Research Day Showcases Scholarship and Mentorship

Now in its 13th year, Student Research Day (SRD) has become an institution at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), and a widely-anticipated showcase of the analytical and creative vigor demonstrated each year by the university’s budding researchers. Close to 220 oral and poster presentations were delivered during SRD on Feb. 14 and 15, covering a wide range of academic ... Read More

[VIDEO] Teatro Dominguez: The Best Kept Secret at CSUDH

It might be uncommon to see second and third grade students volunteer to pick up trash, but that is exactly what has happened during California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) Teatro Dominguez community-based theater troupe performances at local elementary schools this semester. When the college student actors— in character as a coyote, an aardvark, a sea cucumber and other sea, land ... Read More

Zero Waste Goals Require Toro Nation to be All-In

As the Earth’s dominant species, humans have a myriad of self-inflicted ecological challenges to contend with. Some are monumental and require international buy-in, like climate change, while others involve localized activism and direct action, such as biohazard cleanup. One cause of all the devastation stands out above the rest – waste. CSUDH has a large ecological footprint. The campus ... Read More

photo of phone with low battery

Your Phone Is Almost Out of Battery. Remain Calm. Call A Doctor.

Larry Rosen knows he has a problem. Headed home from work, the psychology professor said his heart skipped a beat when he glanced at his iPhone and suddenly realized his battery was at 7%. He had no charger. “You get this feeling: Oh my God, I’m lost,” he said. Prof. Rosen, a past chairman of the psychology department at California State University, Dominguez Hills, knows whereof he speaks. He ... Read More

Young Scholars Program Marks 20 Years of Educating High School Students

Thousands of high school students throughout California have been able to earn college credit prior to graduation—saving them money and reducing their time to a college degree— through the California State University, Dominguez Hills Young Scholars Program, which turns 20 in 2014. To mark the anniversary and showcase the program, Center for Mediated Instruction and Distance Learning staff ... Read More

Ximena Cid

Ximena Cid Stands on ‘Path of Totality’ After Teaching STEM 0 Students about Total Solar Eclipses

On Aug. 21, Ximena Cid was standing with family and friends in Idaho on the “path of totality,” watching the bright morning sky dim to a twilight hue and feeling the air temperature steadily drop while the moon gradually blocked the sun’s light from reaching Earth. Cid, an assistant professor of physics at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), was far from alone during her ... Read More

Women’s Studies Grants First Degrees

Women’s Studies Grants First Degrees

Women’s Studies has only been a major at CSUDH for one year, but its first four graduates are already earning their degrees this spring. As Associate Professor and Coordinator of Women’s Studies Jenn Brandt says, “We’re so excited. To have all of these wonderful students, in a pandemic, not only surviving but thriving, has exceeded my expectations! I know they’re going to go on and make the ... Read More

Women’s Business Conference Inspires, Informs and Connects Entrepreneurs

Nearly 2,000 women (and several men) who either are small business owners or are considering becoming one filled the Loker Student Union at California State University, Dominguez Hills for the 2014 Connecting Women to Power Business Conference on June 20. The capacity crowd was on hand to gain invaluable tips on a variety of topics facing small business owners, including how to build a ... Read More

Women’s Business Conference Enlightens and Empowers

Approximately 1,000 women (and a few brave men) from throughout much of Southern California—who already are or are interested in becoming small business owners—gathered at the 2012 Connecting Women to Power Business Conference held at California State University, Dominguez Hills on June 14. The large crowd was treated to rousing keynote and welcome speeches laced together by master of ceremonies ... Read More

Women’s Conference: Students as Architects of Their Own Lives

By:Wyahee Tucrkile How do I build the life I want to build? How do I create the space around me to make that structure strong enough to withstand the things that it might need to withstand? As students and faculty from California State University, Dominguez Hills and local high schools including Fremont, Firebaugh, Crenshaw, and Lynwood High School, sat in a nearly packed Loker Student Union ... Read More

Women’s Business Conference Brings Policymakers and Entrepreneurs Together

The National Association of Women Business Owners – LA (NAWBOLA) and California Educational Solutions, in partnership with members of the California State Board of Equalization, hosted the “Connecting Women to Power Business Conference” in the Loker Student Union at California State University, Dominguez Hills on March 30. The State Board of Equalization was represented by Jerome Horton (Class of ... Read More

Footer

California State University, Dominguez Hills Logo

1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747
1-310-243-2001 • Send Email

Related Sites

  • csudh.edu
  • magazine.csudh.edu
  • gotoros.com

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get CSUDH News directly in your inbox

Copyright © 2023 · California State University, Dominguez Hills