2008 Sara Spencer Child Drama Award presented to Tonya Hays

To say I was surprised when my name was called at the SETC awards banquet would be a huge understatement. I was shocked and as MJ Etua held my hand she kept saying, "stop shaking!" The wonderful introduction given about me shared with all attendees the honor of the Coming Up Taller Award that the WINGS program received recently in Washington D. C. While this was an amazing experience and a tremendous gift to our program the Sara Spencer Child Drama Award will be a treasured memory. To be honored by the nation is one thing, but to be honored by your peers and colleagues is a priceless gift. Working in the field of theatre for youth has been my passion for many years. It is continually rewarding as I see the young people I work with blossom and become the leaders of tomorrow. WINGS seeks to nurture talent and spirit and when a young cast member recently came to me and asked, "Can we use our production of The Trojan Women as a vehicle to create awareness of the atrocities in Darfur and to raise funds for aid organizations?" I knew we were doing our job. I want to thank SETC from the bottom of my heart for this tremendous honor and to close by quoting my hero, Mother Teresa, "I can do no great things, only small things with great love." - Tonya Hays

The Sara Spencer Child Drama Award is named for the founder of the Children's Theatre Press (now the Anchorage Press) and a longtime member and supporter of SETC. The award is presented by the Theatre for Youth Division in recognition of an individual or organization for distinct achievement in such areas of child drama as playwriting, performance, audience development, curriculum development, funding, scholarship, community programs, research, television programming, creative drama or other enrichment programs within the SETC Region.

The SETC award honors children's theatre pioneer and publisher Sara Spencer. Past recipients include: Theatre IV, Judith Kase-Polisini, Stage One: Louisville Children's Theatre, NC Theatre for Young People, Al Cohen, Roger Bedard, Barbara Britton, Tom Behm, Ann Hill, Orlin Corey, Birmingham Children's Theatre, Patricia Whitton, Elizabeth Rike, Lexington Children's Theatre, The Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of South Alabama, Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre, Chattanooga Theatre Centre's Youth Theatre and Children's Theatre of Charlotte.

Recipients must have contributed to the quality of child drama in the region, and the nomination deadline is November 15th each year. For further information contact:

Brenda May Ito
Columbus State University
Department of Theatre
4225 University Ave.
Columbus, GA 31907
(706) 507-8410
may_brenda@colstate.edu