PCC Drama Students Earn Awards for Their Talents

By: Press Release | WNCT
Published: January 15, 2008

   WINTERVILLE—“Col. Justice,” a musical written by Pitt Community College student Brad Womack, was the big winner last month as Pitt drama instructor Lee Armstrong doled out his annual PCC Drama Awards.
   At the end of the Fall 2007 Semester, students enrolled in Armstrong’s Theatre Appreciation course completed their final class projects by performing original plays they’d written and directed. Lee and those attending the performances then determined the night’s award winners.
   “Col. Justice,” which featured five original songs, earned Womack “Best Playwright” honors. Nikki Zacharopoulos (Best Director) and Jimmy McRoy (Best Actor) also received awards for their work with the musical.
   “Best Actress” went to Heather O’Donnell for her portrayal of a witch seeking to regain lost youth in “Cat Call.” O’Donnell also starred in a local short film titled, “The Hard Six,” and played in “Scrooge” in Farmville along with fellow PCC student Megan Dimarco.
   Several of Armstrong’s students, in addition to O’Donnell and Dimarco, have taken advantage of opportunities to develop their talents outside of the classroom.
   PCC student Richard Beck, who Armstrong said had never acted prior to taking Drama 131-Acting I at the college, was cast in a leading role in a local production at the end of fall semester.
   Armstrong said students William White, Elly Jones and Jeff Padgett recently played in “Pirate’s Rest” in Ayden. He added that Padgett joined the Ayden Community Theatre Board.
   Several of Armstrong’s drama students have displayed their talents on the Internet as well. Taking center stage on YouTube are White, Padgett and Brooke Mayo, who have posted mock Sonic commercials on the site.
   Mayo, Armstrong said, recently completed a short film that earned her a callback for a television show casting in Raleigh.