Donna Reed Festival concludes with awards
By Becky Irvine, Journal correspondent | Posted: Monday, June 23, 2008
DENISON, Iowa -- The 22nd annual Donna Reed Performing Arts Festival wrapped up Saturday night in Denison with the Awards Showcase at the high school's Fine Arts Center.
This year the festival celebrated the 50th anniversary of "The Donna Reed Show," which began in 1958.
A first at this year's showcase was the premiere of a student-produced short film by the students of the Iowa Motion Picture Association Movie Camp, which was held during the festival in Denison.
Presenters at the showcase were: Eddie Foy III, longtime Hollywood casting director and Donna Reed Festival instructor; Gigi Perreau, a Hollywood actress with more than 40 films to her credit and a longtime festival instructor; and Patti Petersen, who portrayed one of Donna Reed's daughters on "The Donna Reed Show."
In addition to performances by the scholarship finalists in both musical theater and theater performance, the audience was also treated to a performance by prior festival workshop student Troy Dargin, who just received his master's degree in voice performance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City's Conservatory of Music.
A special Benefactor Award was presented to Don Uker of Denison, who was instrumental in getting the Donna Reed Festival started. "Don produced the first brochure for the festival," Foy said. "He was there at the beginning, and has worked tirelessly with the festival every year since. He has interviewed many of the festival presenters and students, and has followed many of their careers.
"This award will not be presented every year," Foy added. "It is in appreciation for time, talent, integrity and dedication."
An award that is presented every year, the Kathleen Freeman Spirit Award, is given to the student who best exemplifies Freeman's qualities of work ethic, commitment, passion, high energy and eagerness. Freeman was a longtime actress and an instructor in both acting and comedy at the festival.
This year's Kathleen Freeman award was presented to Nick Ostrem of Iowa City, Iowa, by Donna Reed's children, Mary Owen and Tony Owen Jr.
The two Iowa Student awards, in the amount of $500 each, were presented to Bekah Niblock and Steve Faber.
The Senior Merit awards were presented to graduating seniors Ann Deutsch of New Hampton, Iowa, and Rachel Adcock of Hutchinson, Kan. At the Showcase, Deutsch sang "A Summer in Ohio" by James Robert Brown. Adcock's vocal performance was "I Could've Gone to Nashville" from "Nunsense."
"The Donna Reed Festival has always been about encouraging young talent," Perreau said. "To this end, we are this year also presenting Junior Merit awards to recognize younger students for their talents." These awards were presented to Katelyn Renze of Carroll, Iowa, and Amy Ostrem of Iowa City, Iowa.
Ostrem sang "Good Morning, Baltimore" from the musical "Hairspray" at the awards showcase. Renze's vocal performance was the Etta James standard "At Last."
Presenters' awards, announced by Perreau, were given to festival students Dalton Potter, Tyler Jepsen, Nick Ostrem, Thomas Kibbe, Morgan Miller & Robin Strohmeyer.
This year the festival celebrated the 50th anniversary of "The Donna Reed Show," which began in 1958.
A first at this year's showcase was the premiere of a student-produced short film by the students of the Iowa Motion Picture Association Movie Camp, which was held during the festival in Denison.
Presenters at the showcase were: Eddie Foy III, longtime Hollywood casting director and Donna Reed Festival instructor; Gigi Perreau, a Hollywood actress with more than 40 films to her credit and a longtime festival instructor; and Patti Petersen, who portrayed one of Donna Reed's daughters on "The Donna Reed Show."
In addition to performances by the scholarship finalists in both musical theater and theater performance, the audience was also treated to a performance by prior festival workshop student Troy Dargin, who just received his master's degree in voice performance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City's Conservatory of Music.
A special Benefactor Award was presented to Don Uker of Denison, who was instrumental in getting the Donna Reed Festival started. "Don produced the first brochure for the festival," Foy said. "He was there at the beginning, and has worked tirelessly with the festival every year since. He has interviewed many of the festival presenters and students, and has followed many of their careers.
"This award will not be presented every year," Foy added. "It is in appreciation for time, talent, integrity and dedication."
An award that is presented every year, the Kathleen Freeman Spirit Award, is given to the student who best exemplifies Freeman's qualities of work ethic, commitment, passion, high energy and eagerness. Freeman was a longtime actress and an instructor in both acting and comedy at the festival.
This year's Kathleen Freeman award was presented to Nick Ostrem of Iowa City, Iowa, by Donna Reed's children, Mary Owen and Tony Owen Jr.
The two Iowa Student awards, in the amount of $500 each, were presented to Bekah Niblock and Steve Faber.
The Senior Merit awards were presented to graduating seniors Ann Deutsch of New Hampton, Iowa, and Rachel Adcock of Hutchinson, Kan. At the Showcase, Deutsch sang "A Summer in Ohio" by James Robert Brown. Adcock's vocal performance was "I Could've Gone to Nashville" from "Nunsense."
"The Donna Reed Festival has always been about encouraging young talent," Perreau said. "To this end, we are this year also presenting Junior Merit awards to recognize younger students for their talents." These awards were presented to Katelyn Renze of Carroll, Iowa, and Amy Ostrem of Iowa City, Iowa.
Ostrem sang "Good Morning, Baltimore" from the musical "Hairspray" at the awards showcase. Renze's vocal performance was the Etta James standard "At Last."
Presenters' awards, announced by Perreau, were given to festival students Dalton Potter, Tyler Jepsen, Nick Ostrem, Thomas Kibbe, Morgan Miller & Robin Strohmeyer.
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