Haverhill, MA (April 11, 2024) – Hurricane Diane shows no signs of weakening. The Northern Essex Community College Theater production has just won ten national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).

Honors include:

The Citizen’s Award
Outstanding Achievement in Performance: Mirrorajah Metcalfe, Liberal Arts: Writing Major, Haverhill
Distinguished Achievement in Dramaturgy: Jessica Newey, ’23, Middleboro
Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Performance
Distinguished Achievement in Performance: Gwynnethe Glickman, ’22, Newbury
Distinguished Achievement in Performance: Olivia Barberian, ’23, Candia, NH
Distinguished Achievement in Direction of a Play: Brianne Beatrice, NECC Professor
Special Achievement in Production of a Play
Outstanding Achievement in the Facilitation of a Brave Rehearsal Space

Hurricane Diane cast

This news is the latest in a whirlwind for Hurricane Diane. The production was first staged on the NECC Haverhill Campus in the spring of 2023. Then, representatives from the KCACTF selected the production as a finalist for the Region 1 Festival. Beatrice and the cast and crew got that news just before the holiday break at the end of 2023 and quickly reassembled to have the play ready to be remounted at the regional festival at the end of January.

“It’s crazy our work is being honored like this. They’re looking for good art, and our art is being recognized,” said Beatrice.

Beatrice will travel to Washington, D.C., later this month to accept the awards at the Kennedy Center.

Northern Essex offers a variety of theater and acting courses. Additionally, they stage several full productions and readings throughout the year. Anyone interested in learning more about NECC Theater or the audition process should email Professor Beatrice at bbeatrice@necc.mass.edu.

The KCACTF is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide, which has served as a catalyst for improving the quality of college theater in the United States. More than 600 academic institutions participate in state, regional, and national Kennedy Center American College Theater Festivals.