Centre graduate nominated for Helen Hayes Awards RELEASED: Mar. 20, 2001 DANVILLE, KY -An original musical written by Centre College graduate Mary Hall Surface (Class of '80) was nominated for five 2001 Helen Hayes Awards recently in Washington, D.C. Surface was nominated for two awards. "Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales" was nominated for the Charles McArthur Award for Outstanding New Play, best resident director of musical, outstanding lead actor in a resident musical and two other awards. That "Sing Down the Moon" has received the most Helen Hayes nominations for a family production was most satisfying to Surface. "No other family production has ever received this many nominations," she says. "Seeing that this type of production has been the focus of my career for 20 years, it feels good." Surface, who has been nominated twice before for the Helen Hayes Award as an Outstanding Director, grew up in Bowling Green, Ky. "Sing Down the Moon" premiered March 8, 2000, at Theater of the First Amendment at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. According to award officials, the nominations were gleaned from among 267 plays and musicals that were staged at 78 Washington area theaters during 2000. The winners will be announced May 7 at a Kennedy Center gala. Surface's latest production, "Perseus Bayou," is called a "triumph of atmosphere and theatrical imagination" by the Washington Post. It is also playing at the Theatre of the First Amendment. - end -     Communications Office Centre College 600 W. Walnut Street Danville, KY 40422 News and Events Home Page