Theatre major, Frankie Tueber, won second place in the Set Design competition in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region II Set Design competition. The festival was held January 12-16 in Indiana, PA. Ms. Teuber’s winning design was created for the November UT production of “Machinal.” Theatre professor James Hill was her faculty advisor on the project.
While she did not win the Barbizon Award which would have allowed her entry to advance to the national competition, her entry attracted a great deal of interest among judges and spectators alike. Cornel Gabara, professor of acting at UT, said that Ms. Teuber’s entry received a lot of praise from important professionals at the event. “They were impressed. These are Broadway professionals and that is important.”
He said that they praised her creativity and gave Ms. Teuber suggestions for improving her model building technique for competition. Gabara added, “No doubt the talent is there.”
Ms. Teuber, from Warren, Ohio, also designed the set for the UT production of Coronado (2008-2009 season). This past summer she was the set designer for two professional productions: Junk Drawer at the Boulder International Fringe Festival, and Ectospasms at the New York Fringe Festival. After graduation she plans to pursue a master’s degree in set design.
Several UT theatre students competed at the festival, including Katie Rediger (Theatre) and her partner Pat Miller (Film), who made the Final Round of the Irene Ryan Competition. Out of 230 nominees (and their respective partners), Ms. Rediger and Mr. Miller were among only 14 that were chosen.