'Pirates' Lands National Accolades

Westmont’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance” won three national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts recognized outstanding work from eight regional festivals held Jan. 7-March 1 across the United States.

“Pirates” earned Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Scenography for a Musical for Danila Korogodsky, and Distinguished Director of a Musical for John Blondell, Westmont theater arts professor.

Blondell has been invited to receive his award and participate in the 46th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Washington, D.C., April 14-19.

Blondell says the cast and crew are all delighted and honored to receive national recognition by the Kennedy Center. “I was blessed with a world-class team of co-creators and a multi-talented, effervescent group of performers and technicians,” he says. “The experience of making the show was unparalleled, and I am so pleased that the work of these fabulous young artists has met with such general acclaim. This is great news for our students, our departments and the college, and I am completely tickled at this surprising turn of events.”

“Pirates” was chosen to be performed at one of eight regional festivals Feb. 14 in the Los Angeles Theatre Center. It returned for two final shows in Westmont’s Porter Theatre Feb. 22-23.

In addition, Blondell directed “Bread,” written by California Institute of the Arts student Michael Yichao, which is a National Finalist of the KCACTF Ten-Minute Play Award.