Dordt College Student Jonathan Posthuma Receives Theater Award

2012 Feb 14

Several Dordt College theatre arts students received awards and special honors from the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) held in Ames, Iowa, last month.

Jonathan Posthuma of Brandon, Wisc., was one of two Dordt students selected to compete on a national level. He was named a national finalist for his sound design and musical composition created for the The Glass Menagerie. This honor has earned him a trip to the National KCACTF Conference in Washington, D.C., in April where he will present his work again. He, along with junior Brian De Young of Sioux Center, Iowa, and freshman Mark Steiger or Hull, Iowa, also received an award for sound design for the The Glass Menagerie. "The national awards are so competitive. I saw the number of entries in the design expo, and it was overwhelming. That two of our students can take advantage of the learning opportunities at the national level is an amazing testimony to their talent, hard work, and creativity," said Dr. Teresa Ter Haar. Posthuma is a Dordt College senior majoring in secondary education and choral/instrumental music He also has a minor in the Kuyper Scholars Program.

Dordt College Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Dr. Teresa Ter Haar says that she's always been impressed with how many Dordt students take advantage of the opportunity to compete and learn at the festival. "From playwriting to stage management, from acting to poster design, our students crave feedback on their work. As a theater professor, I love that our students want to learn, grow, and develop their skills."

The KCACTF showcases the finest of each region's entered productions and offers a variety of activities, including workshops, symposia, and regional-level award programs. Since its inception in 1969, KCACTF has given more than 400,000 college theater students the opportunity to have their work critiqued by judges and receive help to improve their dramatic skills.

Dordt's active theater program serves the community with two fully mounted main stage shows each year, as well as numerous smaller student-directed or classroom-based projects. The program will have two openings for a faculty member and technical director in fall of 2012. To learn more about theater at Dordt College, visit www.dordt.edu/arts/theatre.