Perform in English and Hoike in Hawaiian Language. Sit in English and Noho in Hawaiian Language. Release in English and Hookuu in Hawaiian Language. Dance in English and Haa in Hawaiian Language. Hide in English and Pee in Hawaiian Language. Memorize in English and Hoopaanaau in Hawaiian Language. Touch in English and Hoopa in Hawaiian Language. Sing in English and Mele in Hawaiian Language. Appear in English and Oili in Hawaiian Language. Dive in English and Luu in Hawaiian Language. Crawl in English and Kolo in Hawaiian Language. Dance in English and Hula in Hawaiian Language. Balance in English and Kaulike in Hawaiian Language. Bellow in English and Kuo in Hawaiian Language. Breathe in English and Hanu in Hawaiian Language. Extend in English and Hoonui in Hawaiian Language. Embrace in English and Puliki in Hawaiian Language. Flinch in English and Kuemi in Hawaiian Language. Sit in English and Noho in Hawaiian Language. Release in English and Hookuu in Hawaiian Language. Dance in English and Haa in Hawaiian Language.
Hide in English and Pee in Hawaiian Language. Memorize in English and Hoopaanaau in Hawaiian Language. Touch in English and Hoopa in Hawaiian Language. Sing in English and Mele in Hawaiian Language. Appear in English and Oili in Hawaiian Language. Dive in English and Luu in Hawaiian Language. Crawl in English and Kolo in Hawaiian Language. Dance in English and Hula in Hawaiian Language. Balance in English and Kaulike in Hawaiian Language. Bellow in English and Kuo in Hawaiian Language. Breathe in English and Hanu in Hawaiian Language. Extend in English and Hoonui in Hawaiian Language. Embrace in English and Puliki in Hawaiian Language. Flinch in English and Kuemi in Hawaiian Language.

UHM Theatre Students Recognized at Regional Theatre Festival

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region 7 Festival was held February 18-22 in Eugene, OR, and several UHM students from the Department of Theatre and Dance attended the festival to showcase their artistic work. Many of the students who attended entered in competitions. Below are recognitions and highlights of the student work.

Irene Ryan Competition
The Irene Ryan Competition brings students from colleges around the nation who were nominated by KCACTF Respondents or show directors for their acting skills in a college play or musical to compete for a scholarship. This year, six nominees from UHM competed with scene partners against over 200 other Irene Ryan nominees. Malia Wessel, an undergraduate theatre major, (and her partner KoDee Martin) and Michelle Huynh, and MFA candidate in Asian Performance, (and her partner Dean Mo) were 2 of 32 nominees to advance to the semi-final round of the competition.

Musical Theatre Scholarship Auditions
240 students from around the region competed in the Musical Theatre Scholarship Auditions where they sang a part of a song from a musical. Jorin Young, a UHM undergraduate theatre major, was 1 of 16 to advance to the finalist round.

Improv Olympics
In the Improv Olympics, teams compete against one another in improvisational theatre. The Māno-it-Alls, UH’s improv team comprised of Emily Steward, Dylan Chace Lee, Qalil Ismail, Jonah Bobilin, Malia Wessel, and Tyler J. Haugen, won 1st Place in short-form improv.

Tech Olympics
Tech Olympics gives teams a chance to compete against one another in various technical theatre challenges including costume quick changes, knot tying, and more. The team from UHM made up of Dylan Chace Lee, Qalil Ismail, Jonah Bobilin, Mike Poblete, and Jorin Young won 2nd Place Overall.

SDC Directing Initiative
Students are chosen to compete in the directing initiative based on their application which includes nominations from professors and demonstrated excellence in directing. Kat Altman, an MFA candidate in Directing, was selected to compete and directed a scene from Jen Silverman’s The Moors. Actors in her scene were Malia Wessel, Annastasia Fiala-Watkins, and Emily Steward. Altman was a Regional Winner and will move on to compete in the National Competition in April.

The National Devising Theatre Project
Ensembles create their own original work based on the given prompt, “Entrance Without Papers is Forbidden”. Out of 5 teams that competed, 2 were from UHM. One team was made up of Keola Simpson, Jorin Young, Yunshan Feng, Melisa Orozco Vargas, and Robert Sanchez. The other team included Annastasia Fiala-Watkins, Michelle Huynh, Dean Mo, Thea Wigglesworth, and Mike Poblete. All teams were declared winners of this competition.

John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Plays (One Acts)
New playwrights submitted their original one-act works to the organization, and from those submissions, a handful were selected to be presented as staged readings of the plays. Malia Wessel had her play, Tony the Fantastic Fireman! LIVE: One Show Only, which was presented by UHM’s Late Night Theatre in 2018, selected to be performed. The staged reading was directed by Tyler J. Haugen and performers were KoDee Martin, Dylan Chace Lee, Nick Brown, Annastasia Fiala-Watkins, Mike Poblete, Qalil Ismail, Jorin Young, Hulita Drake, Kela Neil, Catherine Restivo, Michelle Huynh, and Alten Kiakona.

Next Step Auditions
Students auditioned for several graduate study programs as well as professional theatre companies. Four UHM students received additional callbacks from top training programs and companies. KoDee Martin, Qalil Ismail, and Malia Wessel all were called back for the Stella Adler Studio and Dylan Chace Lee received callbacks from B Street Theatre in Sacramento, CA and the National Theatre Institute.

Spotlight Invitational Scene
A handful of scenes from plays around the region were invited to participate in a night showcasing the talent within those scenes. UHM was invited to present Pi Jin Rolls the Lamp from Kennedy Theatre’s 2018 production of Fights & Delights: Three Chinese Comedies. The scene was taught by Master Teacher, Xu Mingchi, and directed by UH Associate Professor of Theatre, Mark Branner. The scene was performed by actors Donovan Oakleaf, Melisa Orozco Vargas, and alumnae Raquel Palisbo and orchestra members Keola Simpson, Michelle Huynh, Yunshan Feng, and Yang Xi.

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