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Click here for the latest info: http://www.libarts.ucok.edu/english/adjunct/dolph/KCACTF6NCI.htm 

The KCACTF sponsors competitions in each region of the National Critics Institute (NCI).  The NCI was established to assist in elevating the level of arts criticism and to provide writers the opportunity to grow at the same pace as the artists whose work they review and interpret.  To accomplish this, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival sponsors workshops at each regional festival where students and graduate students from backgrounds in theatre, English, and journalism write daily critiques of plays in round-table discussion sessions.

One student from each region is selected to attend a Critics Institute in Washington D.C., led by Dan Sullivan from the O'Neill Critics Conference, and attended by other well known critics such as Peter Marks from The Washington Post and Bob Mondello from NPR and City Paper.  There, the eight write and discuss criticism, and from these eight, 2 or 3 are chosen to attend the O'Neill Playwrights Conference and Critics Institute in Waterford, CT, each summer.  Students report that the summer conference is truly life changing, not only in terms of what they learn critically, but also for introducing them to the O'Neill playwriting process.

The Critics institute is open to all registered festival participants.  You do not need to sign up in advance to participate.  You must provide your own computer and printer.  Students, if you don't own this equipment check with your faculty about borrowing a department laptop.