Three Whittier College students have won the opportunity to compete at a prestigious theatre festival following a successful weekend run of Stupid F#%*ing Bird.
Stephee Bonifacio ’20, Sydney Summers ’19, an Lauren Estrada ’20 have been nominated to participate in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition at the 2019 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for their roles in Stupid F#%*ing Bird, a contemporary reimagining of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. Summers also won a Meritorious Achievement Award as the vocal coach for the show.
The 2019 festival will be held in downtown Los Angeles this February. The students will bring a series of scenes and monologues to compete with undergraduate and graduate actors from schools in Hawaii, Guam, California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona.
Stupid F#%*ing Bird, by Aaron Posner, followed a group of young artists as they navigated a web of unrequited love and creative struggle. The fast-paced ensemble piece, directed by visiting professor Katie Liddicoat, was not only full of cutting-edge dark comedy, but offered an emotionally raw, thought-provoking reflection on life, love, and art.
The production, held in the Ruth B. Shannon Center for Performing Arts, featured a cast of students and alumni, including Garrett Almonti ’19, Bonifacio, Estrada, Will Johnson ’22, Nick Molinaro ’22, Ruben Sanchez ’18, and Summers. The play was the second production of the academic year, which began with Frankenstein in October and continues with Pippin this March.
Ariel Horton ’21 contributed to this story.
