KU Department of Theatre & Dance names 2021 award winners

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Theatre & Dance recognized 65 students as recipients of its year-end awards and scholarships, totaling over $175,000 in financial support.

"We’ve always considered ourselves fortunate to have the kind of donor support that allows us to recognize so many outstanding students,” said Henry Bial, professor and department chair. “This year, with all that we’ve been through, we appreciate that generosity even more. These scholarships and awards are real difference-makers in terms of students’ ability to graduate and pursue their dreams. The department has more than three dozen named scholarships and awards, which preserve our donors’ legacies."

The Jon T. Eicholtz and Barbara Eden Acting Scholarship – named in part after the actress best known for starring in television’s “I Dream of Jeannie” – is a full-ride, renewable scholarship awarded to Jayhawks pursuing the craft. Based on the strength of her audition and high school academic achievements, Isabella Lind, from Solvang, California, was selected as the recipient.

The Kilty Kane Award, the highest award that can be given in recognition of outstanding contributions made to the University Theatre by a graduating student, was presented to Gabrielle Smith, of Lansing, who completed her bachelor's degree in theatre performance. The Kuhlke Humanitarian Award was presented to Tehreem Chaudhry, of Lawrence, who completed her bachelor's degree in theatre performance. Both of these awards are named for actors (Jerome Kilty and Professor Emeritus William Kuhlke) credited with memorable performances as guest artists in Murphy Hall.

The Elizabeth Sherbon Award, the highest award that can be given in recognition of a dance student, was presented to two students this year: Madison Meade, of Auburn, Nebraska, BFA in dance, who recently completed her junior year, and Cicely Stevenson, of Nauvoo, Illinois, BFA in dance and bachelor's degree in theatre performance, who recently completed her junior year.

Scholarship and award recipients are as follows:

Kansas

·   Addison Haiden, Lindsborg, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship

·   Anna Shelton, Hesston, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Annika Wallace, Atchison, Alexis and Craig Stevens Performing Arts Scholarship

·   Ashley Ebner, Shawnee, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship

·   Aubrey McGettrick, Wichita, New Theatre Guild William and Penny Gamm Scholarship

·   Bradley Mathewson, Topeka, Charles "Buddy" Rogers Scholarship, Donald and Betty Dixon Scholarship in Theatre

·   Brittany Moss, Lenexa, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Caleb Stephens, Lawrence, Ethel Hinds Burch Outstanding GTA in Theatre Award

·   Cassandra Ludlum, Topeka, New Theatre Guild Jacqueline & Curt Stokes Scholarship

·   Chris Pendry, Lawrence, New Theatre Guild Don Knotts Scholarship, Loren Kennedy Coordinator

·   Diego Rivera-Rodriguez, Lawrence, Kansas, Donald and Betty Dixon Scholarship in Theatre, Loren Kennedy Traineeship

·   Elijah Olson, Hiawatha, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Ella Galbraith, Wichita, New Theatre Guild Dodie Myers Brown Scholarship, Loren Kennedy Coordinator

·   Gabrielle Smith, Lansing, Kilty Kane Award, Shirley and Tom P. Rea Memorial Award

·   Grace DiVilbiss, Lawrence, Jump Start Award

·   Haley Cogbill, Olathe, Adah Clarke Hagan Scholarship, Loren Kennedy Traineeship

·   Hazel Youngquist, Perry, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship

·   India MacDonald, Topeka, Richard Kelton Memorial Scholarship, Loren Kennedy Traineeship

·   Isobel Langham, Topeka, KU Dance

·   Jillian Wilson, Chanute, Claire Reinhold Scholarship

·   Joel Brown, Overland Park, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   John Dylon Rohr, Arkansas City, Friends of the Theatre (FROTH) Scholarship, Ethel Hinds Burch Outstanding GTA in Theatre Award

·   Johnny Dinh Phan, Overland Park, Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship

·   Jonah Greene, Overland Park, Ambrose Saricks Family Scholarship

·   Kaitlyn Tossie, Lawrence, Susan Tisdall Niven Scholarship, Joseph R. Roach Dissertation Research Award, George Sundstrom Travel Award

·   Kalen Stockton, Lawrence, Laura Louise Pryor Award

·   Lauren Smith, Topeka, Moxie Talent Agency Scholarship, Kari Wahlgren Scholarship

·   Paul-Michael Johnson, Emporia, Margaret Bushong and Suzanne Calvin Scholarship

·   Samantha Gotskind, Overland Park, Charles “Buddy” Rogers Scholarship

·   Shayna Phillips, Lawrence, Department of Theatre & Dance

·   Spencer Walker, Lawrence, David E. Blackwell Scholarship

·   Sydney White, Lawrence, Juanita Strait Scholarship, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Sydney Ebner, Shawnee, Harry B. Craig Dance Scholarship, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Taylor Lee, Lawrence, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Tehreem Chaudhry, Lawrence, Kuhlke Humanitarian Award, Jack B. Wright Award

·   Trevor Rodgers, Olathe, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship, Glenn Bickle Award

·   Webster McDonald, Lawrence, New Theatre Guild Dennis D. Hennessy & Richard Carothers Scholarship, Ethel Hinds Burch Outstanding New GTA in Theatre Award, Social Activism Award

Missouri

·   Alyssa Kendrick, Chesterfield, Edna Bulkeley Dance Scholarship, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Daryn Hill, St. Louis, Barbara Nordling Dance Scholarship, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Gabriel Mueller, Wentzville, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Maureen Austin, Carrollton, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Molly Robinson, St. Louis, Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship, Harry B. Craig Dance Scholarship, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

Other states and countries

·   Alex Hunt, Farmington, Minnesota, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship

·   Annalee Larsen, Papillion, Nebraska, Lee Family Scholarship in Dance, Loren Kennedy Traineeship

·   Annie St. John, Waukee, Iowa, Lee Family Scholarship in Dance, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Cicely Stevenson, Nauvoo, Illinois, Elizabeth Sherbon Award, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Cullen Krishna, Bellevue, Nebraska, Department of Theatre & Dance Scholarship

·   Farrukhbek Varisov, Uzbekistan, Adah Clarke Hagan Scholarship

·   Gabrielle Corporal, Bowie, Maryland, KU Dance Scholarship

·   Grace Josin, Medina, Minnesota, Lee Family Scholarship in Dance

·   Grace Stephan, Davenport, Iowa, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship, Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship

·   Hanah Glimpse, Phoenix, Arizona, Brian Ten Eyck Davis Award, Marilyn Hunt Scharine Award

·   Isabella Lind, Solvang, California, Jon T. Eicholtz and Barbara Eden Acting Scholarship

·   Jenny Sledge Harris, Annapolis, Maryland, Susan Tisdall Niven Scholarship, Gerhard Zuther Memorial Award for Dramatic Playwriting

·   Lindsay Webster, Novi, Michigan, Susan Tisdall Niven Scholarship

·   Madison Meade, Auburn, Nebraska, Elizabeth Sherbon Award

·   Maricela Alaniz, San Antonio, Texas, Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship

·   Maya Gold, Vernon Hills, Illinois, Elizabeth Sherbon Fund Scholarship

·   Naomi Chaffee, Bismarck, North Dakota, Julie Damron-Dittmer Scholarship

·   Nicole McKinney, Portland, Oregon, Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship

·   Olivia Johnson, Clive, Iowa, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship

·   Olivia Pennell, Sherman Oregon, Springfield, Ill., Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship

·   Taylor Cheek, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Barbara Nordling Dance Scholarship

·   Rory Sweedler, Louisville, Colorado, KU Dance Scholarship, Bernadette Robinson Scholarship

·   Yulin An, Zhengzhou, China, Sherman Halsey Student Opportunity Award

The Department of Theatre & Dance is one of three departments in the School of the Arts. As part of the KU College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the School of the Arts offers fresh possibilities for collaboration between the arts and the humanities, sciences, social sciences, international and interdisciplinary studies.