After advancing at the state-level competition in February, Brazosport Center Stages took the top prize last weekend for its production of An Iliad at the regional South West Theatre Conference (SWTC) in Kerrville.
The SWTC encompasses theatres in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, and included performances from Arkansas, New Mexico and two Texas theatres at the 2022 event.
Brothers Jeremy Todd and Cory Todd reprised their roles as The Poet and The Muse, respectively, in An Iliad, written by Dennis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson. Connie Marshall returned as the show’s director with Shirley Busbice in the role of stage manager and Wes Copeland handling lights and sound.
The production was named the Winning Performance and received the Audience Acclaim Award. Actor Jeremy Todd was named to the All-Star Cast and the crew received the Outstanding Lighting Design Award and Best Tech/Crew Award.
Jeremy Todd said the experience of competing at the SWTC was incredibly rewarding.
“Our visit to Kerrville to compete in the South West Theater Conference was such a positive experience,” he said. “Our hosts at The Cailloux Theater welcomed us like family and the other competing theaters performed like champions. It was an honor to simply participate, but taking home several awards including ‘Best Production’ was amazing!”
Director Connie Marshall said it was an honor to represent Center Stages at the competition.
“We faced some good competitors and are very proud of our performance,” she said. “Our cast, Jeremy and Cory, are exceptional story tellers who kept the audience enthralled from the moment the lights came up. Our crew did an excellent job of making sure the show was presented at the highest level possible and with true respect to the Cailloux City Center and those staffing the event.
“We are honored to have represented Brazosport Center Stages and the state of Texas at the South West Theatre Conference. We want to thank the adjudicator Kristi Quinn, the workshop presenters, The Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts, our new friends from community theaters throughout the southwest and the City of Kerrville. We had a blast!”
An Iliad encore and celebration is slated for Saturday, April 23 at 7:30 PM in the Freeport LNG Theater at The Center. Admission is free but reservations are required. Please note, this production contains strong language and graphic descriptions of violence and war.
