Jeremy Skidmore ’00, who just directed “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” at NCSA (Feb. 24-27, 2005), graduated from the directing program in the School of Drama. He has been artistic director at Theater Alliance, the resident company of the H Street Playhouse, since 2002. He has directed the Washington premieres of “Mary’s Wedding,” “Tales from Ovid,” “Slaughter City,” the American premiere of “The Dispute,” and the world premiere of “Painted Alice.” At Theater Alliance, he has produced the Washington premieres of “Thief River,” “[sic],” “Boy Gets Girl” and “The Gospel of John” (which transferred to off-Broadway). His company was the recipient of the 2004 Mary Goldwater Award. Skidmore was the first American to assistant direct at the Subaru Theater Company in Tokyo and at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. He has taught at the National Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, The Lovett School in Atlanta, Fu Ren Catholic University in Taiwan, and the Macau International Fringe Festival in China, among others. 

Kelly Parsley ’94 and ’00 holds degrees from the NCSA School of Dance and the NCSA School of Drama (in directing). In 1995, he formed the nationally recognized dance company Chimaera Physical Theatre. He has performed and choreographed at the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, and has choreographed in Turkey and in Egypt. He also taught for the Turkish State Opera Modern Dance Theatre. Parsley recently joined the faculty at the South Carolina Governor's School as a modern dance instructor. Parsley is also on the faculty of the NCSA Drama Summer Session.

Holly Cruikshank ’92 attended the NCSA School of Dance. She is presently performing the lead role of Brenda in the national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical, “Movin’ Out,” and also appeared in the production on Broadway. Before that, she was noticed for her role as the Girl in the Yellow Dress in “Contact” on Broadway and on the national tour. She also appeared on Broadway in “Fosse,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Hello, Dolly!” Cruikshank’s career started at the age of 18 with the national tour of “The Will Rogers Follies.” In addition, she has done commercials and print campaigns, and has been seen on “Rosie O’Donnell,” “Conan O’Brien,” and “David Letterman.”

Named for the First Lady of the American Theatre, The Helen Hayes Awards celebrate, promote and honor achievement in the Washington, D.C., professional theatre. The awards operate under the auspices of The Washington Theatre Awards Society, a nonprofit organization established in 1983. Now with more than 80 producing theatres, Washington, D.C., is the second most prolific theatre town in the United States. 

The 21st Annual Helen Hayes Awards will be held on May 9 at The Warner Theatre.  

            An arts conservatory of international renown, the North Carolina School of the Arts was the first state-supported, residential school of its kind in the nation. Established by the N.C. General Assembly in 1963, NCSA became part of the University of North Carolina in 1972. More than 1,000 students from middle school through graduate school train for careers in the arts in five professional schools: Dance, Design and Production (including a Visual Arts Program), Drama, Filmmaking, and Music. For more information, visit the School’s website at www.ncarts.edu.

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 Media: For more information, please contact Marla Carpenter at 336-770-3337 or carpem@ncarts.edu in the public relations office at NCSA.

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