THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
BERGER AWARD
June 2013
The University of Wyoming’s College of Arts and Sciences has named New York resident Alain G. Cloarec as the winner of the 2013 National Amy and Eric Burger Essays on Theatre Competition for the best essay written in English on any aspect of drama or the theatre.
Mr.
Cloarec’s essay, "The Mercury Theatre -- No Method, Just Glorious
Madness," is hailed by the national adjudicating team as “an engaging
essay offering an extraordinary, well-researched, historical overview of Orson
Welles, John Houseman and the politically charged Mercury Theatre’s rapid rise
and sad demise in New York in the 1930s.”
Dr. Jim Volz, President, Consultants for the Arts, led the adjudicating
team. The honor carries a $2500 prize to
the annual winner.
A graduate
of NYU Film School and the Lee Strasberg Institute, Mr. Cloarec financed his
first low-budget independent feature film The
Golden Ram using fifteen credit cards. The film was screened at Italy's MYSTFEST, International Mystery Film
Festival and is a California Film Awards 2010
Diamond Award Winner. His short film, 1st
Session, was screened in 2012 at the Carmel
Art and Film Festival, the California
Riverside International Film Festival, and the Improvised Film Festival in Australia. Mr. Cloarec has just
graduated with a Master's in Theatre History, Criticism and Theory from Hunter
College in Manhattan. His short play Nothing
Could Surprise Me Now will open at The Factory in New York City in July
2013.
“This nationally-advertised competition
sparked entries from throughout America,” notes Gracie Lawson-Borders, UW
College of Arts and Sciences associate dean. “This high profile University of
Wyoming arts competition is intended to inspire students, faculty and theatre
and drama professionals to pursue their literary talents and reward talented
authors who write on any aspect of drama or theatre,” says Dean Lawson-Borders.
Unpublished essays may range from 1,800-7,500 words. Inquiries related to the
2014 competition may be directed to Dr. Jim Volz at jvolz@fullerton.edu. The program is offered through a special endowment to the University of Wyoming’s College of Arts and Sciences to honor Amy and Eric Burger.
