Two Lawrence University Actors Selected for American College Theatre Competition

APPLETON, WIS. -- Lawrence University's Elaine Moran and Emma Sweet have been selected for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition as part of the American College Theatre Festival.

They will be among 200 student actors participating in the regional competition, which will be conducted in January, 2003 at the University of Southern Indiana.

Both were selected for the regional audition based on their performances last month in Lawrence's production of Moliere's "The Learned Ladies." Moran, a freshman from Winnetka, Ill., portrayed Armande, a bookish daughter who prefers intellectual pursuits over men. Sweet, a sophomore from Needham, Mass., portrayed Philamente, the play's strong-willed matriarch.

Moran and Sweet will vie for one of two $500 scholarships at the regional competition and the opportunity to compete in the ACTF's national auditions at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., next spring.

The ACTF was founded in 1969 to recognize and celebrate the finest and most exciting work produced in college theatre programs and provide opportunities for participants to develop their theatre skills. The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship was established in the will of the late actress, best known for her role as Granny on the TV hit show "The Beverly Hillbillies."