After years of involvement in one of the nation’s most prestigious college theatre competitions, Siena University played host to its Northeast regional festival this year.
Siena welcomed the American College Theatre Festival for Region 1, held January 27-31 on campus and at the Hilton Albany’s conference center. More than 450 students from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and upstate New York convened for workshops in acting, directing, playwriting and dramaturgy; an expo dedicated to theatrical design, technology and management; performances of the best regional college productions as determined by industry professionals; and scholarship opportunities. There were also professional development opportunities for faculty.
“Hosting the American College Theatre Festival feels like a natural and exciting next chapter for the Siena Theatre Department,” said Krysta Dennis, Ph.D., associate professor of creative arts. “We have a long history of participating in and contributing to ACTF, and as our theatre major continues to grow, we’re eager to open our doors to students and faculty from colleges across the region to share work, exchange ideas, and celebrate the vitality of collegiate theatre.”
Siena’s production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, which the University originally staged during the fall 2025 semester, was one of four productions invited to be performed over four days. Eight Saints were nominated to participate in the Irene Ryan Scholarship Acting Competition: Hassan Laing ‘27, Jayden Wojcik ‘27, Sam Rubinstein ‘28, Grey Hertz ‘28, Tommy Rooney ‘26, Liam Healy ‘27, Annabelle Clemens ‘29, and Patrick Liszewski ’27.
Nora Schuyler ’29 took part in the dramaturgy workshop. Orin James ’28 won the Tempest Award for sound design creativity and quality, for a workshop where he teamed up with other students to make a mock design for a play and present it as if they were pitching the concept.
“I wasn’t expecting that the workshop would lead to an award, as I was mostly in it for the opportunity to create and design again, but I’m glad that we got honored!” said James. “I’m proud of myself and the students I worked with to accomplish our design pitch.”
“It was a proud and emotional moment for Siena,” said Mike Lounello ’11, technical director and production manager who helped load in truckloads of scenery and costumes during the January 26 snowstorm. “It was a huge endeavor, which began with campus visits last summer and showcases what Siena is capable of to the wider theatre community.”
ACTF Region 1 Chair Emmett Buhmann concurred, saying, “Our organizational coordination with Siena was fabulous! Mike Lounello, Krysta Dennis, [technical director] Jeff Sullivan, and the Siena students contributed 110 percent to the success of this festival. I can’t wait to be back here next year to collaborate with these wonderful people again!”
As Buhmann previewed, Siena will host the 2027 festival next January.
Wojcik reprised his role as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night at the festival, and received an award for musical theatre. (See more about Jayden in the Every Student Has a Story feature, above/below.)
“It’s the one opportunity we have each year to check in with hundreds of theatre-makers at our level all across the Northeast, so as students we try to make the most of it,” he said. “We get a good sense of what kind of training we have as actors compared to others, as well as the difference among peoples’ acting styles. When we aren’t showcasing our work competing for acting scholarships, we are in workshops learning new acting methods and ways to apply our knowledge.”
Rubinstein thinks ACTF is an important experience for all theatrical Saints.
“Having Siena host the festival gets our name out there to other professional theatre makers and students,” she said. “I’ve had an amazing time working with my fellow Siena ACTF attendees and nominees, and I know they’ve been enjoying this journey, too.”
Laing added that having Siena host the festival was “a meaningful opportunity to show what being a Saint is all about.
“Supporting others wherever and whenever we could, and helping create a warm, collaborative environment, made me proud to represent Siena and the school’s enduring spirit of service and community!"
The Siena team was recognized by ACTF for its contributions to the festival at a closing night reception in Albany.
“Siena's theatre program supports both our liberal arts mission and our commitment to helping students develop lifelong passions that enrich their lives,” said Margaret Madden, Ph.D., Siena’s provost and senior vice president. “We are proud to sponsor this prestigious event that highlights excellent theatre programs and gives the students who participate recognition for their excellent work and the opportunity to meet and share ideas with like-minded students at colleges and universities in the Northeast.”
Christiane Farnan, Ph.D., dean of the School of Liberal Arts, noted the infectious energy everyone brought to the four-day event.
“Theatre festivals are vital to the liberal arts because they bring imagination, collaboration, and critical inquiry to life,” she said. “They remind us that the stories we tell and witness are central to understanding ourselves and the world around us.”
