Karen Sheridan, associate professor of theatre, represented Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region III at the national festival in Washington. D.C. from April 17-23 as a faculty fellow in the area of acting.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival aims to enhance and encourage the quality of college theater in the United States. More than 18,000 students from 600 academic insitutions nationwide are involved in the program each year. The national festival in Washington D.C. showcases four to six of the best and most diverse college theatre productions chosen during regional festivals held in January and February.

A national committee selected Sheridan to represent the colleges and universities involved in Region III of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, which includes schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

“While I was there I had the opportunity to mentor student award recipients who were presenting their work at the festival and I also attended master classes,” said Sheridan.

The only fellow from acting, Sheridan also auditioned for and performed the role of a university professor in the student-written play “By Design,” which won the short-play competition.

“I also joined professional actors from Washington D.C. to read scenes for the playwriting awards that were being presented at the festival,” said Sheridan. “There were so many incredible actors on the stage and I felt so lucky to work with them.”

Sheridan also spent some time watching the four invited shows from universities around the country.

Oakland University students performed “Urinetown” at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival’s Great Lakes Regional Conference Jan. 10-16 on the campus of Illinois State University. The musical, staged at Oakland’s campus during the fall 2005 season, was one of only 11 performances chosen from about 60 entries in the five-state region.

For more information on Oakland University’s theatre program, visit the Music, Theatre and Dance department’s Web site or call (248) 370-2030.