Article Contributed on: 3/13/2009 9:19:20 AM
Superb directing of a powerful, thought-provoking scene from
Neil LaBute's provocative play, "The Distance From Here" has turned a College of Arts & Media Theatre, Film & Video Production senior student at the
University of Colorado Denver into a
Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival region winner.
Felicia Marti will be honored for her accomplished directing skills at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, held April 14-18, in Washington, D.C. Marti chose LaBute's "The Distance From Here" from five production options because, according to Marti, "the play is just outrageous and represents issues that are very compelling and important to today's society."
Each of the eight regions of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival national organization, created to celebrate the educational and creative process of university and college theatre, holds an annual national festival at which students are awarded fellowships and scholarships. The top student in each area is selected to represent the region in Washington in April.
Of the students nominated for the competition, only 11 were selected to compete at the regional festival and six moved on to the final round. Marti was chosen to represent
Region 7, which includes Colorado, Alaska, N. California, Idaho, Montana, N. Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming, with a five minute scene.
"It is an extraordinary achievement for this young woman," said Marti's mentor
Laura Cuetara, a UC Denver College of Arts & Media associate professor of Theatre, Film & Video Production. "Perhaps what was most extraordinary was that her sense of delight and enthusiasm throughout the very tough process enabled her to fully seize the many learning opportunities of the experience-as did the three actors who traveled to Idaho with her."
Marti will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Kennedy Center to receive her award and a fellowship to participate in the national festival week. Marti says she is living proof of the College of Arts & Media's mission statement: Art Changing Lives.