The Clark State Community College Theatre Arts Program brought home 14 awards, including best show of the season for The Foreigner, at the DayTony Gala held at Sinclair Community College on Saturday, August 8.
The Clark State Theatre Arts Program submitted two productions, and each production received seven awards. Performances of The Foreigner were held in November 2014 and performances of The Mousetrap were held last April.
“Through participation in the DayTony Awards, a jury of our theatre peers evaluate our productions, thus each production receives four critiques from DayTony respondents,” said Theresa Lauricella, associate professor and program coordinator for theatre arts at Clark State. “The production is ‘graded’ from A+ through F in several categories including direction, design, ensemble acting, lead, supporting or guest acting.”
The DayTony Awards are presented annually by the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame to recognize outstanding performances, whether on stage or behind the scenes at Dayton area theatres.
This marked the first DayTony award for Lauricella and Clark State student Joey Ahern. Ahern, directing for the first time in a main-stage production, won an award for The Mousetrap. Lauricella was thrilled to share the win with her former student. “Winning an award in direction is challenging since there are very few awards available in that category,” she said.
Paden Frank, who will be directing Laughter on the 23rd Floor this fall for Clark State, brought home three awards making him a four-time DayTony recipient having won last year for his role in The Great Gatsby. Clark State students Ryan Stevens and Morgan Robertson received their first DayTony award for acting.
As a DayTony Theatre member, the Clark State Theatre Arts Program sends respondents to other DayTony productions. “Theatre Arts students attended several productions last year,” said Lauricella. “Thus, this becomes another teaching tool for the program: students learn how to evaluate and critique theatre with purpose, and they have the opportunity to network with other theatre companies and practitioners.”
Auditions for Laughter on the 23rd Floor will be held September 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. at the Clark State Performing Arts Center, Turner Studio Theatre. “For the first time ever, we will offer Clark State students free tickets to see our shows,” said Lauricella. “I’m excited to see more Clark State students entertained through live art at the Performing Arts Center.”
Specific awards went to:
The Foreigner
- Best Show of the Season
- Merit for Direction: Associate Professor and Coordinator of Theatre Arts Theresa Lauricella
- Merit for Set Dressing: Theatre Arts adjunct instructor Paden Frank and Clark State Theatre Arts graduate Jon Owings
- Merit for Costumes: Dayton native Susan Robert
- Merit for Acting (Owen Musser): Clark State Theatre Arts student and Springfield native Ryan Stevens
- Excellence for Acting (Charlie Baker): Clark State graduate and Springfield native Ryan McCarty
- Excellence for Acting (Ellard Simms): Clark State Theatre Arts student and Xenia native Morgan Robertson
The Mousetrap
- Merit for Direction: Clark State Theatre Arts student Joey Ahern and Clark State Theatre Arts adjunct instructor Paden Frank
- Merit for Acting (Christopher Wren): South Charleston native Paul Mitchell Smith
- Merit for Acting (Mollie Ralston): Clark State graduate and Springfield native Katie Blackburn
- Excellence for Set Design: Clark State Theatre Arts adjunct instructor Paden Frank
- Excellence for Dialect Coach: Clark State adjunct instructor and Human Race Theatre Company resident artist Kay Bosse
- Excellence for Acting (Giles Ralston): Clark State Theatre Arts adjunct instructor and Springfield native Jimmy Straley
- Excellence for Acting (Detective Sergeant Trotter): Clark State alumnus and Springfield native Joel Bonsell