Alumna wins National Music Theatre Award for original musical


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Claire-Frances Sullivan.

Claire-Frances Sullivan is continuing to earn recognition for her work in theatre just four months after graduating from Central Michigan University.

After earning her Music Theatre in December, Sullivan is the recipient of the 2018 Kennedy Center's ACTF National Musical Theatre Award for her original musical, "Fostered Love."

The award comes after Sullivan was selected to have her play, "Close Encounters," showcased at Talos, a London science fiction theater festival.

By winning the award, Sullivan receives $1,500, membership in the Dramatists Guild and the Playwrights’ Center of Minneapolis and a 2018 summer professional development residency.

"I was so excited. I really wanted it," Sullivan said. "As a performer, I'm good at not getting my hopes up about stuff like this, but I wanted this so badly because it comes with so many opportunities. I just started screaming at my friend's house when I got the email saying I had won."

Sullivan will be attending the national festival at the Kennedy Center in April to represent her musical. Out of thousands of student artists who submitted their work, 125 were selected to travel to Washington, D.C. for an expenses-paid trip to participate in National Festival events.

Sullivan took her playwriting talents internationally in March, when she was selected to have "Close Encounters" showcased at Talos. She has experience in acting, writing plays and composing musicals. Sullivan also received training as a playwriting apprentice at the Powerhouse Theater Training Co. in New York.

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