Arcadia University Theater students advanced to the finals at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for Region II Jan. 11-16 at Towson University, Md. Of the 32 Arcadia students who attended, several students also have been invited to participate in the national festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in April.

Nine were nominated to compete for the prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship for their performances in various Arcadia productions. Seven took part: Kara Boland, Taysha Canales, Mary DeCarlo, Morgan Everitt, Tevor Foehl, Lauren Suchenski and Alex Pappaterra worked with partners Nicole Samuels, Monique Gaffney, Laura Gould, Claire Berger, Stephanie Stevens, Zack McKenna and Jamie Dagen.

257 pairs of actors were nominated across the region to compete. Of these, Suchenski and partner Canales moved on to the semifinals with 30 other pairs. Gaffney, partnered with Canales, moved onto the finals with 15 other pairs. Gaffney was awarded the Best Partner Award, which came with a cash prize.

Canales also was awarded a scholarship to attend the New Play Summer Conservatory at the New York Theater Intensive in association with the artists of Ensemble Studio Theater June 28-Aug. 5.

In addition, Seybert and Suchenski appeared in Molly Hagan’s Spaceships and Things that Look Like Them, directed by Mark Wade, Assistant Professor and Director of Theater Arts. This production was selected as one of the region’s nominations for the National Festival in April at the Kennedy Center.