American College Theater Festival
The American College Theater Festival (ACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students annually from colleges and universities across the country.
Responses
Most KU University Theatre productions are entered in the ACTF Region 5 festival. Each production is viewed by a volunteer respondent who gives a verbal response to the cast and creative team immediately following the performance they attend and who may nominate the production for commendations.
Awards
All creative team members of entered productions are eligible for certificates of commendation. Students who present their designs at the annual festival are eligible for Regional and National Awards. National Award winners are invited to participate in the National Festival and competition.
Recent KU Award winners include
- Edmund Ludlum, National First-Place Award in Costume Design for Cabaret
- Lindsey Webster, National First-Place Awards in costume design for The Labyrinth of Desire and Macbeth
- Emily Hunsucker, National First-Place Award in lighting design for In the Blood
- Kate Smeltzer, National First-Place Award in scenic design for In the Blood
- Kayleigh Shaffer, National First-Place Awards in sound design for The Wolves, Metamorphoses, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.
Festival
The next Region 5 festival will take place January 18-24, 2026 in Rochester, Minnesota.
Students must present their their work at our annual Design Expo held each December in order to be eligible to attend the regional festival.
The Department with support from The Friends of Theatre & Dance pays for registration fees, transportation by van, & shared hotel rooms. Students are responsible for meals and other incidental costs.
Contact Head of Design Kelly Vogel at kvogel@ku.edu for more information.