Kylie Royce – From Southeast to directing dreams

Published on Sep 18, 2024

Kylie Royce has charted an extraordinary path from the Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College campus to a career in theater. Currently enrolled in a graduate theater program at the University of Southern Mississippi where she received a Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival award, Royce’s time at Southeast helped shape her artistic journey and support her dream of being a theater director.

A 2019 graduate of Harlan County High School, where she was named a Kentucky Colonel for being the first student from HC to attend the Governor’s School for the Arts, Royce began her higher education journey at Southeast during a pivotal time in her life. After initially pursuing other studies, she turned to Southeast for a fresh start and found a supportive community that led her to pursue the arts full-time.

“I’m not sure what would have happened if Southeast wasn’t there,” Royce said of the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic that posed challenges for many students. “It was really my segue into my ultimate educational goals. COVID was a big turning point for a lot of people, and for me, it could have been the time I gave up.”

When she enrolled at Southeast, her involvement with Higher Ground and the student-based theater group she co-founded, The Fiddleheads, provided further encouragement to pursue her career in theater. She studied under Associate Professor of Theater Kate Handzlik.

“Kylie’s determination and drive have gotten her where she is today. She has a goal and is working hard to achieve it,” said Handzlik.

 

 

 

 

Royce completed the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees from Southeast in 2020 and went on to complete her bachelor’s degree in acting and general theater at East Tennessee State University.

“Kylie was an excellent and active student while at ETSU,” said Karen Brewster, chair of the Department of Theater at ETSU. “She took advantage of every opportunity and is meeting her career goals.”

Harlan County High School theatre teacher Jennifer Freyer agrees on Royce’s talent.

“She entered my classroom with more enthusiasm than I thought possible for a student in this day and age,” said Freyer. “She brought joy, determination, courage and a level of professionalism to the drama club that really helped set a tone and pace that I believe helped turn our plays into some of the most successful we have had at HC. I could not be prouder of her since she left HC and her accomplishments come as no surprise to me or anyone who knew her. She was a brilliant theatre student from the outset and has proven that out in the world many times over.”

Today, Royce is working on her second qualifying piece at SMU, preparing for a full production of “The Drowning Girls.” If successful, she will direct “Sense and Sensibility” in the spring as part of the university’s mainstage program and the fulfillment of her creative project, the equivalent of a dissertation.

Royce is expected to complete her MFA with an emphasis in directing in 2026 from USM. She then hopes to return to Southeast Kentucky and create a theater company that serves central Appalachia.

“I really could not see myself being where I am today without Southeast,” said Royce. “Think about all the people I met who helped me get to where I am. Would I have even gone back into the arts? Everything happens for a reason, and we are so lucky to have Southeast in our community.”

Kylie Royce’s story is a testament to the importance of community colleges like Southeast. The connections she made and the opportunities she found helped her build the skills and confidence to pursue her dreams.

“Southeast is a lifeline for so many students,” said Royce.

SKCTC provides quality education and training for students in Eastern Kentucky. The college offers a wide range of programs and services designed to support students of all backgrounds who are seeking to build rewarding careers.