Emerson senior awarded Kennedy Center Fellowship

Emerson senior, Tierra Bonser was awarded the Kennedy Center/ Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) Dramaturgy Fellowship to the Kennedy Center MFA Playwrights’ Workshop and New Play Dramaturgy Intensive in association with the National New Play Network last week at the National Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).

The Fellowship provides Tierra with a scholarship to spend eight days at the Kennedy Center this summer working as a dramaturg for a festival of new works. She will work alongside professional dramaturgy and directing mentors during the festival.

Tierra was nominated for this award on behalf of her work on Emerson Stage’s presentation of Louis Nowra’s The Golden Age in the spring of 2011, directed by Benny Sato Ambush. Working closely with Ambush as well as professor and professional dramaturg, Magda Romanska, Tierra’s first dramaturgy experience resulted in an annotated script, interactive lobby display, production blog, and diligent research work which helped shape the production as a whole.

Tierra, a BA Theatre Studies: Dramaturgy major, travelled to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC with fellow Emerson students, Shanna Allison ’13 and Juliana Gregori ‘12 as part of their awards received at the Regional Festival in January. Shanna, a BFA Stage & Production Management student, attended as a National KCACTF Fellow for Excellence in Stage Management for her work on She Loves Me, while Juiliana , a BFA Theatre Design/Technology: Costume Design student, attended as part of her National KCACTF Award for Excellence in Costume Design for Cloud Nine.

KCACTF is a national theater program involving students from colleges and universities nationwide. Through state, regional, and a national festival, KCACTF provides opportunities for students to compete regionally and, if selected, nationally in all areas of theater, including design, acting, production, management, dramaturgy and playwriting.