October 13, 2011

Contact:   Bill Giduz

"Milky White" the cow was among props created by Quincy Newkirk '14 for "Into the Woods" that won the award for "Outstanding Properties Design." Kelvin Bates '12 tended the cow in the production.

Davidson's two mainstage theatrical productions from the 2010-11 year garnered three top awards from Charlotte's Metrolina Theatre Association on October 9.

Several college representatives and students attended the MTA's eighth annual awards ceremony, where "Into the Woods" and "Pride and Prejudice" were nominated for 18 awards in the college/university division.

Quincy Newkirk '14 won the Outstanding Properties Design award for her creations in "Into the Woods." Those props included Milky-White the cow, a golden egg-laying hen, Rapunzel's hair and Cinderella's blood-gushing slippers.

Artist Associate in Voice Jacque Culpepper and Assistant Professor of Music Tara Towson Villa won the Outstanding Musical Direction/Conducting award, also for "Into the Woods." Villa conducted a full student orchestra in the pit for the production, and Culpepper was Music Director and prepared all of the music with the singer actors.

Finally, outside designers Bob Croghan and Heidi O'Hare won the Outstanding Costume Design award for the Regency period costumes they crafted for "Pride and Prejudice."

Jacque Culpepper (left) and Tara Towson Villa (right) with their awards for Outstanding Musical Direction/Conducting for Into the Woods

Culpepper noted that this year's nominations and awards again confirm that Davidson is highly competitive with much larger institutions. "I am constantly amazed at the professional level of production and performance in our music and theatre departments," she said. "At most other colleges and universities, non-majors don't have a chance at a getting a part in anything, but at Davidson many of our actors and singers are non-majors. They compete for awards with career-focused majors in much larger departments in the region and not only get nominated but win! For prospective students and parents who want strong academic rigor in a college, the opportunity for an outstanding education and the opportunity to participate in performance arts at such a high level is a major asset for us."

In addition to the three top awards, Davidson productions and actors were nominated in the following categories.

Outstanding Production - "Into the Woods" and "Pride and Prejudice"
Outstanding Lead Actor (male) - Patrick Morgan '12 as the Baker in "Into the Woods" and Paul DiFiore '13 as Fitzwilliam Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice"
Outstanding Lead Actor (female) - Maggie Mularz '11 as the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods"
Outstanding Supporting Actor (female) - Madison Rigger '12 as Mrs. Bennet in "Pride and Prejudice" and Maggie Birgel '14 as Little Red Riding Hood in "Into the Woods"
Outstanding Cameo - Jacob Fanning '14 as the Wolf in "Into the Woods"
Outstanding Set Design - Daniel Meeker for "Into the Woods" and Josh Peklo for "Pride and Prejudice"
Outstanding Costume Design - Carolyn Bryan for "Into the Woods"
Outstanding Lighting Design - Josh Peklo for "Into the Woods" and Todd Wren for "Pride and Prejudice"
Outstanding Choreography - Alison Bory for "Into the Woods"
Outstanding Special Technical Effects - Daniel Meeker and Josh Peklo for the tree collapse in "Into the Woods"

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,900 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.

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