Scholarship recipients for 2008-09: (l to r) Peter Bugenhagen, Taylor WIlliams, Katie Robinson, Talya Halpern, Samantha Packard, Delaney Twining, Donna Weber, Michelle Sanders, Shayla Roland, Jennifer Whiteside, Steve Perkins, Helena Spadacene, Mary Pilger. (photo by Jon K. Reynolds)

The Department of Theatre & Dance, in conjunction with Friends of the Theatre and the University of Mary Washington Foundation, awards the Albert R. Klein Scholarship, the Fred C. Winer Scholarship, the Alexander W. Holsinger Scholarship, the Keith Belli Scholarship, the Lee Wingate Pappandreou ’40 Scholarship and, together with the Departments of Music and Art—the Nina Bushnell Scholarship and the Polly Updegraff Champ ’61 Scholarship—to outstanding students who have contributed significantly to the life of the Department. Theatre majors, intended majors and students active in the theatre production program who maintain a minimum of a 2.0 overall GPA may apply for a scholarship. We congratulate our scholarship recipients for 2008-09:

Peter Bugenhagen ’09 is a double major in Theatre and Anthropology. He played Howie Newsome in Our Town and was a prisoner in Far Away. Peter has designed scenery for a number of productions in Studio 115 and was a member of the 365 Days/365 Plays Festival company. He is a recipient of the Alexander W. Holsinger Scholarship.

Talya Rebecca Halpern ’09 is a double major in Theatre and History. She was most recently seen on the mainstage in Elegies, a song cycle. Talya also appeared as Mrs. Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer, Domina in A Funny Thing. . . , Ruthie and Ned in Bat Boy, and Mother Superior in Nunsense. Talya is a member of the Studio 115 Committee and performed in the Studio Cabaret and Direct Effect. Talya is a recipient of the Nina G. Bushnell Scholarship.

Samantha Packard ’09 is a Theatre major and is pursuing an elementary teaching license. Sam choreographed Elegies, a song cycle, as well as A Funny Thing . . . . She is on the Studio 115 Committee and has appeared in The Tempest, Heathen Valley, Crimes Against Nature, and several 24-Hour Play Festivals in the Studio. Sam is the president of the Eta Eta Cast of Alpha Psi Omega. She is the recipient of the Lee Wingate Pappandreou Scholarship.

Steve Perkins ’09 is a double major in Theatre and Psychology. Last spring he appeared as Mr. Hastings in She Stoops to Conquer. He was also half of the Gemini’s in A Funny Thing . . . , the Macade and Messenger in Love Labour’s Lost, Simon Stimson in Our Town, and Arthur Miller in Ah, Wilderness! Steve also served as the child wrangler for Far Away. Steve is on the Studio 115 committee and has appeared in Heathen Valley, Baby with the Bathwater, and several 24-Hour Play Festivals. He is the recipient of the Alexander W. Holsinger Scholarship.

Mary Pilger ’09 is a double major in Theatre and Physics. She has been seen in Antigone, A Company of Wayward Saints, Love’s Labour’s Lost and, most recently, as Catherine in Proof. Last season she designed scenery for Far Away. Mary has several Studio 115 credits and was the assistant scene designer for Our Town. Mary is a recipient of the Fred Winer Scholarship.

Katie Robinson ’09 is a double major in Theatre and Geography. Last season she played Harper in Far Away. Her other mainstage roles include Kate in Dancing at Lughnasa and Belle in Ah, Wilderness! She served as chair of the Studio 115 Committee, was the producing director of the 365 Plays/365 Days Festival, and has directed a number of productions in the Studio. Katie is a recipient of the Fred Winer Scholarship.

Shayla Roland ’10 is a double major in Theatre and Psychology. She last appeared in Klein Theatre as Daisy in Bat Boy. Since then, Shayla has served as an assistant stage manager for A Funny Thing . . . and Far Away. Shayla is a member of the Studio 115 Committee and was the production stage manager for Direct Effect in the Studio. Shayla was the stage manager for Our Town. She is a recipient of the Albert R. Klein Memorial Scholarship.

Michelle Sanders ’11 is a double major in Theatre and English. She served as the assistant stage manager for Elegies, a song cycle and Far Away. In the Studio, Michelle was on the stage management teams for The Tempest, Unwrap Your Candy, and Schoolgirl Figure. She is a recipient of the Keith Belli Scholarship and the Polly Updegraff Champ ’61 Scholarship.

Helena Spadacene ’09 is a Theatre major. She played Mrs. Webb in Our Town, and has also been seen as Joan in Far Away, half of the Gemini’s in A Funny Thing . . . , Crew Member in Anton in Show Business, Katherine in Love Labour’s Lost, and Nora in Ah, Wilderness! Helena appeared in the Studio 115 productions of Spinning into Butter and Fat Men in Skirts. She was also a member of the 365 Day/365 Plays Festival company. Helena is a recipient of the Albert R. Klein Memorial Scholarship.

Delaney Twining ’09 is a Theatre major. He appeared in last season’s productions of She Stoops to Conquer and Far Away. He was the lighting designer for Elegies, a song cycle. Delaney is the on the Studio 115 Committee and has designed a number of productions in that space. Delaney played Constable Warren in Our Town. He is a recipient of the Keith Belli Scholarship.

Donna Weber ’08 is a Theatre major. She stage managed the mainstage productions of Shakespeare’s R&J and A Funny Thing . . . . Donna was also the Production Stage Manager for 365 Days/365 Plays Festival. She has been the Box Office Manager for the Department; she also served as the Marketing Projects Assistant. Donna is a recipient of the Albert R. Klein Memorial Scholarship.

Jennifer Whiteside ’09 is double major in Theatre and Business Administration. She stage managed Elegies, a song cycle. She has also stage managed Proof and served as assistant stage manager for Shakespeare’s R&J. Jenn is the Managing Director of the Studio 115 Committee and has stage managed a number of productions in that theatre. Jenn is a recipient of the Albert R. Klein Memorial Scholarship.

Taylor Williams ’11 is a double major in Theatre and English. He has been seen as Jeremy in last season’s She Stoops to Conquer and as a prisoner in Far Away. Taylor serves on the Studio 115 Committee. He was a production assistant for Our Town. He is a recipient of the Keith Belli Scholarship.

If you would like information on how you can establish a scholarship to benefit our students, please contact Gregg Stull, Chair, Department of Theatre & Dance at 540-654-1980 or e-mail gstull@umw.edu