THEATER:Irish eyes are smiling on Golden West

Golden West College’s theater department announced this week that two actors from its recent production of Martin McDonagh’s “The Cripple of Inishmaan” have been nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan Scholarship Award for excellence in acting.

Golden West’s nominees are David Steen, who played the title role of “Cripple Billy” in the comedic drama, set on an obscure Irish island in 1934, and Kim Brown, who portrayed one of his spinster caretakers. The award is given by the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival.

This column’s review of the show noted that “Steen is captivating as the young man who lost both his parents to the sea as a lad and now yearns to start enjoying life’s experiences.” Brown’s authoritarian character, it was noted, “displays little patience with hesitant patrons.”

Also going to Washington for the 2008 festival will be their scene partners, Courtney Marie Barr and Robert Ferraras, who portrayed the town “tough girl” and her wimpy brother. Stage manager Christian Navarro also earned a “meritorious achievement award” for excellence in stage management.

“They represent some of the best and brightest within our program,” said Golden West professor Tom Amen, who directed the production. “However, it is important to remember that they were supported by an outstanding cast and crew of over 20 individuals who made the show successful through their combined talents and tireless hard work and through their generous ensemble spirit.”

Golden West is part of the Kennedy Center Festival’s Region VIII — which includes colleges in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. Next year’s regional festival will be held in Los Angeles.

Winners of the regional festival will advance to the national festival, which is held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., at the end of each academic year. Nominees who advance to the national festival will compete for scholarship awards, as well as the honor of being named “Best of the Fest.”

“These nominations represent both an exceptional degree of achievement on the part of the nominees and a celebration of the production as a whole,” Amen said. It is extremely rewarding to see a diverse group of individuals come together as a unit.

“We really had the luck of the Irish with us on this one.”