Around 270 actors from across the Midwest were nominated and came together to compete at the Irene Ryan Region 5 Scholarship Competition in Des Moines, Iowa in January. Each nominee chose a partner to perform a two-minute scene, as well as a one-minute monologue without their partner. Outside of the competition, they attended various theatre workshops, saw mainstage shows and ushered. During the competition process, junior Mya Dunn progressed through the rounds to face the finals.
“I really was not necessarily expecting the nomination,” Dunn said. As a psychology major and part-time actress, Dunn was nominated in Fall 2024 for her emotional scene in Baker University’s production of “JQA” by Aaron Prosner. The nomination earned her a spot at the Irene Ryan Region 5 Scholarship Competition.
“I did not expect to get through like, the first round because of all the hundreds of other people that I saw,” Dunn said. “And then as the rounds sort of continued on and I got to the finalist rounds, everything felt so surreal,” she said.
The first round was condensed from 270 to 64 nominees for the semi-finals, then to 16 by the final round.
Trevor Belt, the assistant professor and director of theatre at Baker, also attended the competition as an advisor. He attended workshops as well, they were targeted towards professional audiences. In addition, there were many opportunities for networking and meeting other college theatre faculty members.
Belt said he had “no doubt” that Dunn would at least place in the competition.
At the ending awards ceremony, the Irene Ryan Region 5 Scholarship winner was announced. Dunn recalled the ceremony by saying how she was nervous during it.
“And I kept hearing ‘University of, University of, University of’, and when they did first place, I was like, ‘oh no, I didn’t get it,’” she explained. She was in disbelief when they did call her name, “I cried all the way down to the base.”
Belt recalls his proud feelings for Dunn, but also for Baker University Theatre as a whole.
“We’re talking these big schools, and it was a pretty impressive endeavor for a small private institution like us to have a winner,” Belt said. “So, I was surprised but also extremely proud. It was a big moment for our little school,” Belt explained.
To him, this competition was comparable to competing with Division I schools in football and it shows that Baker offers a top quality theatrical educational experience.
“You can come and get that here with us at Baker, it’s tremendous because this essentially makes Mya an All-American actor in the terms of 2025,” Belt said.
For Dunn, this was an emotional experience. The award also guaranteed her a spot at a national festival where she will compete with the seven other Irene Ryan Regional Scholarship winners for the national award. The festival takes place in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center, where she can also meet with industry professionals. For now, she is focusing on her psychology degree and her love of musical theatre. Dunn is an accomplished performer, and now, an All-American actor.
