March 4, 2026
Contact Anthony Slaby at 608-796-3042 or aaslaby@viterbo.edu
LA CROSSE, Wis. – Viterbo University Assistant Professor of Theatre and Musical Theatre Benjamin Gonzales was awarded the Gold Medallion from national Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) at a recent ceremony in the State of Washington.
The Gold Medallion honors individuals or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to the teaching and producing of theatre and who have significantly dedicated their time, artistry, and enthusiasm to the development of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Most importantly, recipients have demonstrated a strong commitment to the values and goals of KCACTF and to excellence in educational theatre. It is the most prestigious regional award given by KCACTF and is considered one of the great honors of theatre education.
Gonzales was a founding national chair of KCACTF’s Representation, Equity, and Diversity initiative, helping shape important national conversations around inclusion and equity in collegiate theatre. More recently, he has served as national chair of the National Playwriting Program, mentoring emerging student playwrights and stewarding the development of new work across the country.
The KCACTF is a national theatre program involving 18,000 students annually from colleges and universities across the country. Since its inception, KCACTF has given more than 400,000 college theatre students the opportunity to have their work critiqued, improve their dramatic skills, and receive national recognition for excellence. More than 16 million audience members have attended approximately 10,000 festival productions nationwide.
“This is national recognition of work that reflects the very best of who Benjamin is as a teacher, artist, and leader,” said Rick Walters, executive artistic director of the Viterbo Conservatory for the Performing Arts. “We are fortunate to have him as a colleague, and our students benefit every day from the depth of experience and care he brings to the classroom and rehearsal spaces.”
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