DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University’s department of theatre arts is ending the year on a high note.

Fresh off the critically acclaimed three-week run of “Sweeney Todd” and having just staged a 10-Minute Play Festival and a production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” the department has received some exciting news.

“‘Sweeney Todd’ has been chosen to be part of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival’s (KCACTF) regional festival in Fitchburg, Mass., announced Sal Trapani, co-chairman of the WCSU department of theatre arts. “‘The Three Sisters,’ the department’s spring 2011 production, also was selected as an alternate production. These are great honors for our university and our students and faculty,” Trapani said.

WCSU will send 75 students and seven faculty members to Massachusetts to participate in the festival next month.

“We will arrive on Tuesday, Jan. 24, with our sets, costumes, instruments, props and all other materials and manpower required to get this huge production mounted for a performance the following evening,” Trapani explained. “We also will be bringing the original orchestra, made up of students from our fantastic music department.”

“Sweeney Todd” will be performed at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at the Stratos G. Dukakis Performing Arts Center in Fitchburg, Mass.

Performing the nominated play is not the only form of competition at the KCACTF regionals.

“At the same time ‘Sweeny Todd’ is going on, we will have our seven Irene Ryan nominees and partners competing in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition,” Trapani said. “We also have two students competing in the Musical Theatre Initiative and six students competing in various technical competitions, adjudicated by theatre professionals from around the country. The winners in these categories will compete for the national awards at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.”

Last year, Matt Bagley, a senior from Danbury, won the Irene Ryan Acting Award issued for the region. With the help of Conor Daniel Bartram, a junior from Hamden, Bagley won a $500 scholarship for the achievement and went to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to participate in the national competition.

Jes Almeida, a senior from Stratford, was announced as the winner in the Hair & Makeup category at last year’s regional competition and also traveled to Washington for the national contest.

Bartram is returning to Fitchburg next month as an Irene Ryan candidate and Almeida will compete again in hair and makeup.

“Participating in the KCACTF is an incredibly huge undertaking,” Trapani said. “We appreciate the support and generosity that has allowed us to be one of the finest programs in the region, if not in the country. We hope our supporters and fans can make it to Fitchburg to see our students shine.”

The KCACTF was started in 1969 and features 18,000 students from more than 600 institutions. Since its inception, over 400,000 students have had their work critiqued.

WCSU offers a Bachelor of Arts in theatre arts, with concentrations in performance, design technology, theatre management and drama studies; or a Bachelor of Arts in musical theatre.

For more information, call (203) 837-8486.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.