Crafton Hills College’s Theatre Arts Department earns Kennedy Center recognition for ‘Earnest’ production - Crafton Hills College

Publish Date: Feb. 8, 2024

Importance of Being Earnest

Crafton Hills College’s Theatre Arts Department received an unexpected gift before the 2023 holiday break: adjudication from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).

Following its final performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Dec. 3, Jodi Julian, head of theatre arts at Riverside City College, critiqued the young performers as part of KCACTF requirements for recognition. This formal adjudication is the first time that any Crafton dramatic production has been adjudicated in over a decade.

“It was all very informative for the students and myself,” explained Paul Jacques, chair of theatre arts at Crafton. “You can file for adjudication once per year, so this [production] was the one that most represented our talent.”

The KCACTF is a nationally recognized program serving 18,000 students from colleges and universities across the U.S., according to its website. The organization looks to:

  • Highlight and celebrate the most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs.
  • Provide opportunities for students to develop their theater skills and insight and achieve professionalism in the field.
  • Improve the quality of programs across the nation.

Encourage colleges and universities to give distinguished productions of new plays, especially those written by students; the classics; and experimental works. 

Adjudication allows theatre professionals to critique productions and provide feedback that will help performers perfect their craft with tips provided.

Crafton’s production of “Earnest” put its theater students to the test by bringing modern touches to Oscar Wilde’s 129-year-old script The play tells the story of a man named Jack Worthing, who finds himself in a pickle: falling in love with a woman, Gwendolen Fairfax, who believes his name to be Ernest, a name Worthing created to cover up his behavior in dubious circumstances. As per many of Wilde’s comedies, shenanigans quickly follow.

Jacques said he kept news of the adjudication under wraps until curtain call because he did not want to throw off the actors prior to the start of the performance. But once the show ended, Jacques called his cast to center stage, where Julian gave a critique of the production.

“The students need to get used to hearing critique. It’s a growing process for everyone, a good growing process,” Jacques said. “This means that they are not afraid of hearing critique that’s good or bad. They’re learning how to be a fish in a big ocean.”

The adjudication brings with it a boost of morale to Crafton’s theatre program as it enters its 2024 season with two shows in the works: HAM, a “Twilight Zone”-inspired production slated for 8 p.m. Feb. 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Feb. 25, and “Legally Blonde: The Musical” in April.

To learn more about the department or its upcoming shows, head to craftonhills.edu/theatrearts.