BLINN’S PRODUCTION OF ‘SPOOKLEY’ EARNS MULTIPLE AWARDS

  

The Blinn College Theatre Arts Program’s Brenham Campus production of “Spookley the Square Pumpkin: The Musical” recently won seven Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) acting and technical awards.

The musical, staged Oct. 16-19 at the Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center, featured standout performances and innovative production work, said respondent and Sam Houston State University Associate Professor Dr. Fabrice Conte-Williamson, who evaluated the production Saturday.

Meritorious Achievement Awards designated by Conte-Williamson were:

• Theatre Arts Instructor Jennifer Patrick, Puppet Design;
• Student Stage Manager Michael Silgero, Excellence in Stage Management;
• Jaden Mertz and Kelan Richardon, Puppetry;
• and the entire company for ensemble work.

Meritorious Achievement Awards recognize students and faculty who exceed expectations in the collaborative theatre process.

Irene Ryan acting nominations, which recognize outstanding student performers seeking to further their theatre education, went to:

• Aidan Johnson, for his role as Jack Scarecrow, and;
• Ryan Kendall, for his dual roles as pumpkins Big and Little Tom.

The KCACTF is a prestigious national theatre program that involves more than 1,500 productions and 200,000 students nationwide.

“By entering this production, the Blinn College-Brenham Theatre Arts Program is sharing the KCACTF goal to recognize, reward, and celebrate the exemplary work produced in college and university theatres across the nation,” said Brad Nies, Theatre Arts Director and the director of “Spookley.”

Nies said approximately 450 people attended public productions, along with more than 600 students who attended preview performances.

Other productions for the 2025-26 season are:

• “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play,” 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 13 and 14, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15 and 16 (preview performances are Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.);
• “Romeo and Juliet,” 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 19 and 20, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21 and 22 (preview performances are Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.);
• and “The Boys Next Door,” 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19 (preview performances are April 16 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.).

In addition to the plays, the program’s improvisation troupe “Slaphappy” will perform on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at the O’Donnell Center.

The program’s 10-Minute Play Festival will be held Friday, March 27, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m. Area high school students will submit original 10-minute plays designed to inspire, enlighten, and entertain audiences.

All performances are held at the O’Donnell Center at 600 Blinn Boulevard. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for Blinn students and children. They are available online at www.blinn.edu/boxoffice, by calling 979-830-4024, or emailing boxoffice@blinn.edu.

Blinn’s Theatre Arts Program cultivates a high-quality educational foundation through a wide range of performance, technical, and production studies. Its Associate of Arts degree plan integrates artistic, technical, and academic disciplines of theatre from the classroom to the stage. Students have the opportunity to audition for a variety of drama and theatre performances and are prepared to transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/theatre.

(Story courtesy Blinn Information)