Tessa Sarvis (center) and Ian Pedersen (far right) were recognized for their
performances and invited to compete for a prestigious scholarhip.
Huntington Beach, Calif. — Two Golden West College theater students have been recognized by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) for their performances in PSYCHO BEACH PARTY, a production that ran from March 8–17 at the GWC Theater.
Tessa Sarvis and Ian Pedersen have been invited to attend the Region VIII festival in February 2025 to compete for Irene Ryan scholarships and possible advancement to the finals in Washington DC. The two actors can also proudly place the words “Irene Ryan Award Nominee” on their acting resumes.
Since 1972, the Irene Ryan Foundation of Encino, California, has awarded scholarships to outstanding student performers at each regional festival. These scholarships are made possible by the generosity of the late Irene Ryan who is best remembered for her portrayal of the lovable and feisty ‘Granny Clampett’ in The Beverly Hillbillies. All student actors in both Participating and Associate productions are eligible for consideration for regional scholarships.
In addition to recognizing the talents of student actors onstage, the backstage production crew for PSYCHO BEACH PARTY also received KCACTF recognition. Stage Manager Lydia McRae and Assistant Scenic Designer Rainbow Nguyen were acknowledged for Meritorious Achievement in Technical Theater.
“This is a wonderful way to end another successful run of show in the Theater Arts Department at GWC,” says GWC Theater Arts Professor, Tom Amen. “We are all very proud of Tessa, Ian, Lydia and Rainbow for their exceptional work, as we are proud of the entire cast, crew, and design team that made PSYCHO BEACH PARTY a great ride!”
Photos from PSYCHO BEACH PARTY are available in GWC’s Gallery.
