Mary Hall Surface Explained

Mary Hall Surface
Caption:	Mary Hall Surface in May 2010
Birth Date:	15 June 1958
Birth Place:	Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S.
Years Active:	1982–present
Occupation:	Theater Director, Playwright, Festival Artistic Director
Children:	Malinda Kathleen Reese

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]

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.^[4]

Personal life

In 1987, she married her husband, Kevin Reese.^[5] They have one daughter, American YouTuber, singer-songwriter, and stage actress, Malinda Kathleen Reese.^[6]

Helen Hayes Awards

1993	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Tintypes, Round House Theatre	Nomination^[7]
2000	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Grimm Tales, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination^[8]
2001	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Sing Down the Moon, Appalachian Wonder Tales, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination^[9]
2002	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Perseus Bayou, Theater of the First Amendment	Award Recipient^[10]
2002	The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play
	Perseus Bayou, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination^[11]
2003	The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Musical
	Mississippi Pinocchio, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination^[12]
2007	The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical
	Lift:Icarus and Me, Theater of the First Amendment	Nomination^[13]
2009	Outstanding Director, Resident Musical
	Goodnight Moon, Tribute Productions and Adventure Theatre	Nomination^[14]

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).

External links

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

Notes and References

1. News: Dan. Via. Keeping It in the Family. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. WW24. March 23, 2001.
2. News: Diane. Mattingly. In Six Tales, One Show of Music, Folk History. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. T08. January 9, 2003.
3. Book: Spitz, Ellen Handler. The Brightening Glance: Imagination and Childhood . 2007. Anchor. 978-0-385-72005-2 . 75.
4. News: Jones. Kenneth. "Premiere of Mary Hall Surface's "Wonderland"-Inspired Alice Opens in MD Dec. 2". Playbill.com. February 13, 2012. December 2, 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120226115917/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123808-Premiere-of-Mary-Hall-Surfaces-Wonderland-Inspired-Alice-Opens-in-MD-Dec-2. February 26, 2012.
5. Web site: We made a good choice 33 years ago today. Happy anniversary, Kevin Reese. Let's keep extending the run. xoxoxo . Facebook.com.
6. Web site: I wrote a song with my parents in quarantine. YouTube.
7. News: Pamela. Sommers. Hamlet, Musicals Lead Helen Hayes Nominees. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. B01. March 17, 1993.
8. News: Nelson. Pressley. 'Indian Ink,' 'Sweeney Todd' Top Hayes Nominations. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. C1. March 22, 2000.
9. News: Local Playwrights, Stirring the Plot; Writers Mull Success, D.C. & Baffling Muses. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. G01. March 25, 2001.
10. News: Nelson. Pressley. Hayes Awards For Director, Play Hit 'Home'; Washington Theater Honors Its Own With Ceremony. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. C01. May 7, 2002.
11. News: Jane. Horwitz. Kennedy Center's 16 Lead Hayes Awards; Arena Follows With 15 Nominations. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. C01. March 12, 2002.
12. News: Helen Hayes Awards Nominees. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. C05. March 11, 2003.
13. News: Jane. Horwitz. In Sync With a Hollywood Legend; Lypsinka's Co-Star Finds That His Role in 'Passion' Calls for More Than Mere Lip Service. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. C5. February 28, 2007.
14. News: Sarah. Marston. Arts In Brief. 0190-8286. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.. T23. February 26, 2009.