University Of Maryland Department of Theatre Receives Helen Hayes Award Nominations

This year's Helen Hayes award nominees represent a large number of University of Maryland faculty, alumni, adjunct, and guest artists, recognition of the growing reputation for the University of Maryland Department of Theatre. The Helen Hayes Awards are given for excellence in professional theatre for productions in the Greater Washington, DC area. Helen Hayes nominees for 2004 who have affiliations with the University of Maryland are:

Faculty:
Mitchell Hebert, Professor, Head of Performance, Department of Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor—Resident Play
'The Drawer Boy'
Round House Theatre

Daniel Conway, Associate Professor, Head of Design and Production, Department of Theatre
Outstanding Set Design—Resident Play or Musical
'Talley's Folly'
Theatre J

Daniel MacLean Wagner, Professor and Chair, Department of Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design—Resident Play or Musical
'The Drawer Boy'
Round House Theatre

Alumni:
Milagros Ponce de Leon (MFA, Set Design, Department of Theatre, 2002)
Outstanding Set Design—Resident Play or Musical
'The Return to Morality'
Rep Stage

Adjunct Faculty:
John Vreeke (Adjunct Faculty, spring 2004; Guest Director—'Our Town', 2004; 'You Can't Take It With You', 2002)
Outstanding Director—Resident Play
'Lady Chatterley's Lover'
Washington Shakespeare Company

Affiliated Guest Artists:
Daniel De Raey (Guest Director—''Curse of the Starving Class', 2005; 'The Good Person of Setzuan', 2000)
Outstanding Director—Resident Play
'The Drawer Boy'
Round House Theatre

Liz Lerman (Guest Artist—Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center)
Nick Olcott (Adjunct Faculty, School of Music; Director, 'The Music Man', 2001)Outstanding Choreography—Resident Play or Musical
'The Mad Dancers'
Theatre J

Regina Taylor (Guest Artist, 'Inside Theatre', spring 2004)
Outstanding Director—Resident Musical
'Crowns'
Arena Stage

"We are very proud of the many accomplishments and the high level of distinction of the Department of Theatre at the University of Maryland," says University of Maryland President Dan Mote. "Thanks to the quality and variety of new theatre spaces in the wonderful Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on the campus, the Theatre Department has a marvelous new home in which to continue its long tradition of innovative performances. The greater theatre community in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area is dynamic and exciting, and we are delighted to be an important player in this scene."

The Helen Hayes Awards will be held Monday evening, May 10, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

For more information about the University of Maryland Department of Theatre, visit www.theatre.umd.edu. For more information about the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, visit www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.