SOU Theatre Earns Regional Honors, Students Headed to National Competition
ASHLAND, OR — Southern Oregon University’s (SOU) Department of Theatre is celebrating an exceptional performance at last week’s American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) Region 7. Representing the best of collegiate theatre across the Northwest, SOU secured top honors in design, performance, and direction, with several standouts advancing to the national competition.
Three SOU students earned the opportunity to showcase their design and technical work on a national stage:
- Ash Merriam: Recipient of the prestigious Randy Lutz Award for Allied Design and Technology. Along with this honor, Merriam received a full registration to the upcoming United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) conference in Long Beach, CA, this March.
- Isabel Furchner: Named a National Finalist for Theatrical Design Excellence in Lighting Design.
- Myles Crow: Named a National Finalist for Theatrical Design Excellence in Sound Design.
SOU’s presence was also felt in the performance categories:
- Madeline Flint emerged as one of only 14 finalists for the Musical Theatre Initiative (MTI) scholarship competition, beating out a crowded field of over 90 competitors.
- Professor Jackie Apodaca was recognized by the National Playwriting Program for Excellence in Directing, highlighting the high caliber of artistry within the SOU Theatre faculty.
About a dozen SOU Theatre majors attended this year’s festival, engaging in specialty workshops offered by theatre professionals and faculty from around the region.
“ACTF was an incredible experience,” shared theatre major Pierce Bach. “I got the opportunity to reinforce the education I’m getting at SOU, as well as add some skills that I hadn’t learned yet. It was so fun to travel with the school and connect with peers and faculty from around the region.”
SOU Theatre Faculty Valerie Joan, Robert Gretta, and Ulises Alcala taught workshops in voice, directing, stage management, and costumes throughout the week. Apodaca also served as an adjudicator for the prestigious ASPIRE Arts Leadership competition.
“It is heartwarming to be surrounded by so many enthusiastic colleagues and young artists,” said Ulises Alcala, Assistant Professor of Costumes at SOU. “ACTF is a vital opportunity for our students not only to compete but to forge the professional connections that will define their careers.”
About SOU Theatre
The SOU Department of Theatre provides a rigorous, conservatory-style environment within a liberal arts setting. Located in the heart of Ashland—a world-renowned hub for the performing arts—the program prepares students for professional careers through hands-on production experience and academic excellence. For more information on SOU Theatre, visit sou.edu/academics/theatre/.
About ACTF Region 7
The American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) Region 7 is a conference celebrating the work of theatre students, staff, and faculty in Theatre Arts programs in our region. Region 7 welcomes everyone from all community college, college, and university theatre departments from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Northern Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Hawaii.https://www.actf7.org/about-kcactf7/#:~:text=Region%207%20typically%20holds%20its,receive%20national%20recognition%20for%20excellence.
