AUM partners with Alabama Shakespeare Festival to co-host Region IV American College Theatre Festival

Theatre students and faculty from colleges across the Southeast will gather in Montgomery Feb. 3-7 for the 2026 Region IV American College Theatre Festival (ACTF), co-hosted by Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF). The week-long event will feature bold interpretations of plays by renowned playwrights while providing students with opportunities to sharpen their craft, connect with theatre professionals and gain valuable career experience.

A highlight of this year’s Region IV conference is the opportunity for students to perform their college theatre productions in the historic Carolyn Blount Theatre, home of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the State Theatre of Alabama. ASF draws hundreds of visitors and artists to Montgomery each year through its contemporary plays, musicals and Shakespeare productions.

“Hosting the American College Theatre Festival aligns directly with ASF’s commitment to education and the development of young artists,” said Quin Gresham, artistic director of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. “Providing students and educators with meaningful learning experiences and access to professional theatre is central to our mission, and we’re honored to support the next generation of artists through ACTF.”

Now in its 58th year, ACTF is held annually to showcase and adjudicate outstanding college-level theatre productions. The festival also offers students professional development opportunities through workshops, auditions, seminars, expos, and exhibits designed to prepare them for careers in theatre and related fields, including journalism.

“We greatly appreciate the support of and are thrilled to partner with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, whose long-standing national reputation emphasizes the arts, education, and building community,” said Val Winkelman, professor of theatre at AUM. “Together, we are proud to welcome colleges from across the Southeast to our campus.”

In addition to co-hosting this year’s festival, AUM theatre students and faculty have been invited by ACTF to present Theatre AUM’s Fall 2025 production, “THE BIRDZ.” Each year, ACTF selects five distinguished productions from the region for presentation at the conference.

“It is an exciting honor to showcase AUM’s campus, the city of Montgomery, and our collaborative relationship with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival as host of this year’s Region IV festival,” said Neil David Seibel, professor of theatre at AUM, who adapted and directed the production. “Having ‘THE BIRDZ’ invited for presentation means our students, many of whom have worked backstage at ASF, will also have the opportunity to showcase their exceptional design and performance work at the State Theatre of Alabama.”

A modern adaptation of the playwright Aristophanes’ play “The Birds,” Theatre AUM’s “THE BIRDZ” reimagines the ancient Greek comedy with pop music makeovers, outrageous costumes and comical characters. First performed in 414 BCE, the original satire follows two friends who grow weary of human nonsense and seek a better life among the birds. Together, they convince the birds to build a floating city in the sky, cutting off the gods from humankind. Retold with boldness, and a sense of playful humor, the adaptation explores universal themes of power, coming together, and transformation.

“The story contains plotlines and themes that are very timely for our current political and cultural moment in the United States,” Seibel said.

Theatre AUM’s performance of “THE BIRDZ” at this year’s conference marks the seventh time the university has been invited to present its productions at ACTF. AUM previously earned invitations in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2018, and most recently, 2025.

The honor reflects the outstanding work of Theatre AUM students who have received multiple 2026 ACTF nominations for their acting and production work on “THE BIRDZ” and the Spring 2025 production “Blood at the Root.” For “THE BIRDZ,” ACTF nominated three students for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, while nine students received nominations in Stage Management, Scenic Design, Dramaturgy, Poster Design, Projection Design, Sound Design, Costume Design and Lighting Design.

Dominique Morisseau’s “Blood at the Root,” directed by recent theatre graduate Tiara Staples, will also be recognized at this year’s festival. For their work on the production, two students received Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominations, and eight earned nominations in Stage Management, Lighting Design, Costume Design, Sound Design, Dramaturgy, and Allied Design.

Throughout the festival, Theatre AUM students will perform and compete alongside other Region IV theatre programs in a wide range of events, earning conference honors, scholarships, and opportunities to advance on to the ACTF’s national conference.

“By participating in ACTF, AUM students — and students from across the Southeast — develop critical analytical, research, communication, and interview skills by presenting their work and receiving professional evaluation,” Winkelman said. “Hosting the event on our campus also gives our students the unique opportunity to gain event management and leadership experience.”

As a national theatre program involving more than 18,000 students annually from colleges and universities across the country, ACTF conferences are well attended and provide valuable visibility to host institutions. ACTF’s Southeast Region IV includes colleges and universities from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“We are extremely fortunate to have students, faculty, staff, and administrators across campus generously giving their time to help welcome and host the many events throughout the conference,” Winkelman said. “It’s exciting to see how collaboration across our region creates invaluable opportunities for students to advance their artistic and professional careers.”