Mary Hall Surface

Mary Hall Surface (born June 15, 1958) is an American playwright and director of theater, working primarily in the Washington, D.C. area. Surface's work has focused primarily on youth and family content.[1] Surface has received accolades from critics for the inventive use of costumes and music mixed with classic storytelling, often with origins in folk tales.[2] She has earned one Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction of a Resident Musical - out of eight nominations. In addition, soundtrack of her musical The Odyssey of Telémaca co-written with composer David Maddox won the 2004 Parents' Choice Gold Award.[3] Ms. Surface is from Bowling Green, KY and was Kentucky's Junior Miss and First Runner Up in the America's Junior Miss Pageant.[4]

Mary Hall Surface
Born	(1958-06-15) June 15, 1958 Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation	Theater Director, Playwright, Festival Artistic Director
Years active	1982–present

Career

In December 2008, Surface directed the world premiere of Alice, her own adaptation of the Lewis Carroll books, at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland.[5]

Helen Hayes Awards

1993	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Tintypes, Round House Theatre	Nomination[6]
2000	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Grimm Tales, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination[7]
2001	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Sing Down the Moon, Appalachian Wonder Tales, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination[8]
2002	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Perseus Bayou, Theater of the First Amendment	Award Recipient[9]
2002	The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play
	Perseus Bayou, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination[10]
2003	The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Musical
	Mississippi Pinocchio, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination[11]
2007	The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
	Lift:Icarus and Me, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination[12]
2009	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Goodnight Moon, Tribute Productions and Adventure Theatre	Nomination[13]

Recordings

• "The Nightingale" (1999) – playwright with composer David Maddox.
• "Sing Down The Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales" (2002) – playwright with composer David Maddox.
• "Perseus Bayou: The Search for the Cajun Medusa" (2002) – playwright with composer David Maddox.
• "The Odyssey of Telémaca" (2004) – playwright with composer David Maddox.

Books

• "Prodigy: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" (1988) – author. Published by Anchorage Press.
• "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (1994) – author. Published by Anchorage Press.
• "Most Valuable Player and Four Other All-Star Plays for Middle and High School Audiences (Young Actors Series)" (1999) – author. Published by Smith & Kraus.
• "Short Scenes and Monologues for Middle School Actors" (2000) – author. Published by Smith & Kraus.
• "More Short Scenes and Monologues for Middle School Students: Inspired by Literature, Social Studies, and Real Life (Young Actor Series)" (2007) – author. Published by Smith & Kraus.
• "Spirit Shall Fly" (2007) – author. Published by Anchorage Press.
• "The Tales of the Custard Dragon" (2009) – co-author with Danny Whitman. Published by Samuel French.

Stage

• Sing Down The Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales (2000) – Director and playwright, composed by David Maddox at Theater of the First Amendment (VA).

References

1. Via, Dan (March 23, 2001). "Keeping It in the Family". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. WW24. ISSN 0190-8286.
2. Mattingly, Diane (January 9, 2003). "In Six Tales, One Show of Music, Folk History". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. T08. ISSN 0190-8286.
3. Spitz, Ellen Handler (2007). The Brightening Glance: Imagination and Childhood. Anchor. p. 75. ISBN 0-385-72005-X.
4. url="Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-29. Retrieved 2012-02-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
5. Jones, Kenneth (December 2, 2008). ""Premiere of Mary Hall Surface's "Wonderland"-Inspired Alice Opens in MD Dec. 2"". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
6. Sommers, Pamela (March 17, 1993). "Hamlet, Musicals Lead Helen Hayes Nominees". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. B01. ISSN 0190-8286.
7. Pressley, Nelson (March 22, 2000). "'Indian Ink,' 'Sweeney Todd' Top Hayes Nominations". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. C1. ISSN 0190-8286.
8. "Local Playwrights, Stirring the Plot; Writers Mull Success, D.C. & Baffling Muses". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. March 25, 2001. p. G01. ISSN 0190-8286.
9. Pressley, Nelson (May 7, 2002). "Hayes Awards For Director, Play Hit 'Home'; Washington Theater Honors Its Own With Ceremony". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. C01. ISSN 0190-8286.
10. Horwitz, Jane (March 12, 2002). "Kennedy Center's 16 Lead Hayes Awards; Arena Follows With 15 Nominations". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. C01. ISSN 0190-8286.
11. "Helen Hayes Awards Nominees". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. March 11, 2003. p. C05. ISSN 0190-8286.
12. Horwitz, Jane (February 28, 2007). "In Sync With a Hollywood Legend; Lypsinka's Co-Star Finds That His Role in 'Passion' Calls for More Than Mere Lip Service". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. C5. ISSN 0190-8286.
13. Marston, Sarah (February 26, 2009). "Arts In Brief". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. p. T23. ISSN 0190-8286.

External links

• Author's page at Plays for Young Audiences website
• Alumni Association page from Centre College, Kentucky
• Author's web page