Investment in Mesa Community College Facilities Benefits Students, College and Business Community
The Mesa Community College Performing Arts Center and MCC Theatre are key factors in the college being chosen to host the prestigious Region VIII Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Voter approval of the 2004 MCCCD Bond and generous contributions from faculty, staff, alumni and the community donors allowed for the construction of these extraordinary venues.
“It is a rare privilege for a community college to host a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival,” said Kara Thomson, MCC Theatre and Arts faculty and Chair of Region VIII Design, Technology and Management. “Typically only universities are equipped to handle the multitude of events but MCC is ideally positioned with a state-of-the-art recording studio and two major performance facilities.”
*KCACTF
Benefits to Students
The festival is an educational outreach of President John F. Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts, celebrating what he called “our contribution to the human spirit.” Since its inception, the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) has given more than 400,000 college theatre students the opportunity to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills, network on a national level and receive recognition for excellence. Regional winners go to master classes with international artists, engage with peers from around the nation, attend Washington, D.C. productions, audition for scholarships and become part of the KCACTF national awards ceremony.
For nearly a decade Mesa Community College theatre and music students and faculty have participated in this annual competition, bringing home awards and accolades. MCC faculty and staff who specialize in their fields coach students during the festival.
Benefits to the Community
More than 1,300 faculty and students from 5 Western states and Hawaii will be enjoying local hotels, restaurants and attractions, contributing to the local business economy and taking home with them first-hand experiences of what makes Mesa such a popular visitor destination.
The Region VIII KCACTF competition is not open to the public.
We invite you to visit MCC's arts events schedule to reserve a seat at one of this season’s dance, musical or theatre performances.
Benefits to the College
Hosting a competition of this stature shines a national light on the caliber and importance of the arts at MCC, elevating it to a status in the higher education field rarely enjoyed by a community college.