Three BYU theater students honored at regional theater festival competition

OGDEN — Three BYU theater students won big at the 44th regional competition of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, which ended on Saturday at Weber State University.

Becca Ingram was named a finalist and will travel to compete at the national festival in Washington, D.C., in April for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. The award is named for the actress best known for her role in “The Beverly Hillbillies” who funded the annual acting competition. Ingram was nominated to compete for the prestigious award after her performance of Anne in BYU’s production of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

In the same competition, Benny Isaacs earned the regional Classical Acting Award of Excellence from the National Partners American Theatre organization. Following Isaacs’ role as Charles Musgrove in an original adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” by Melissa Leilani Larsen, the BYU actor was nominated to compete at the regional level.

BYU’s Jen Stewart was named best scene partner for her work with Joseph Skousen.

“Becca is a genuine person, and that quality is evident in her performances,” said Stephanie Breinholt, BYU theater department assistant professor, who coached the performers. “She is kind, giving and honest, and she allows her characters an honesty and depth that is inviting and exciting. She also allows herself to genuinely feel for each of the characters she portrays. And she gives to the audience. That giving energy is tangible in her performances.”

Breinholt also spoke highly of the work by Isaacs.

“You can feel the joy Benny puts in his work. He loves what he does, and he loves to share it with others. In his work at festival, he was innovative, energetic and had the ability to make Shakespeare’s language feel like it was his own contemporary speech. It was exciting to watch,” she said.

While a BYU student, Breinholt was a national Irene Ryan award winner in 1997. BYU holds the distinction of four national winners. The others are Mireille Enos, in 1996; Kevin P. Rahm, in 1994; and Scott Claflin, in 1991. Dixie State College's Whitney Morgan Cox, who earned the honor in 2009, completes the list of Utah winners.

At the competition in Ogden, Ingram performed a monologue from “Summer and Smoke” by Tennessee Williams. With her scene partner Ted Bushman, Ingram also performed a scene from “Adam and Eve” by Davey Morrison and Shakespeare’s “Henry IV Part 1.” Isaacs also performed a scene with Bushman, from Shakespeare’s most obscure play, “The Two Noble Kinsmen.”