B.A. Drama Major Receives Significant Awards from Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

Josiah Turner, senior BA Drama major, is the recent recipient of the Kennedy Center’s National Undergraduate Playwriting Award, as well as being the second-place recipient of the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, for his play “Uncle Toms Nephews.”

The awards, bestowed through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, come with a cash reward of $1500, a membership to the Dramatists Guild and the Playwright’s Center of Minneapolis, an invitation to attend the KCACTF National Festival 2019 (April 15-20), and a professional development residency in Summer 2019.

“I’m really glad to have won the recognition from the Kennedy Center, especially as it’s my very first full-length piece and very close to my heart. Going forward, I’m really excited to continue to workshop and develop the piece, aiming to soon mount a full production either professionally or through an MFA program within the next few years.” said Turner.

Turner’s full-length play “Uncle Tom’s Nephews” follows 50 years in the lives of a Black family in small-town Ohio who cope with the effects of sexual trauma, civil rights atrocities, and gentrification.

Turner opened up about his process of conceptualizing and writing the play. “The show took only a week to actually write, but several months of planning and outlining. I wrote it over a week during my time at Quisisana [Resort] in Maine…”

Congratulations to Josiah for his recent award wins. The Pointer wishes him well in his future endeavors in playwriting!

Cam Cieszki

Arts and Entertainment Editor

ccies594@uwsp.edu

About Cameron Cieszki

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