When the curtain went down on "Sweeney Todd," actress Susan Boyle had no idea that the curtain was about to go up on her personal future.
Before a packed house on Oct. 19, Michael Dziura, who is a second-year graduate student in the theater department, came on stage during the curtain call -- supposedly to invite the audience to a reception. He told the audience it was his and Boyle's fourth year anniversary since they had met. He then got down on one knee and proposed.
"I almost passed out, then I said yes," Boyle said.
Boyle and Dziura were among The University of Memphis students who were recently honored by Memphis Magazine and The Greater Memphis Arts Council, which bestowed a total of 31 awards to theater students, faculty and alumni. Fourteen awards were for university theater productions, five were for faculty in the professional/community division and 12 awards were for alumni.
Winners of the Best Leading Actress in a Drama award were Boyle and Becca Lewis for their parts in "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress."
Boyle, who played the lead female role in The U of M production of "Sweeney Todd," said she did not expect to win.
"I was really excited," she said. "I felt like it gave my parents less cause to worry."
Boyle hopes to work in theater as an actress and feels she will most likely go to New York.
Josie Helming, professor and coordinator of acting, said Boyle is a unique actress.
"Susan brings a maturity to things and brings a different kind of experience to acting," Helming said.
Lewis was also astonished by her award.
"I was so surprised, I'd never won an award for acting before," Lewis said.
Lewis, who will graduate in December, said she hopes to be able to act and get paid for it. Her love of acting began when she studied Shakespeare in the ninth grade. She read the part of Juliet and realized acting was her passion.
Her interest in the Bard eventually led her to study theater in England for six months when she was in college. She said her experience was incredible.
Even though most parents might be concerned about their children choosing acting as a career, Lewis said her parents are very supportive of her decision.
Helming, who directed Lewis in "Crimes Of The Heart," said she is an interesting actress.
"She's a free spirit and has a wonderful sense of adventure," she said.
She also said both Lewis and Boyle make very bold and brave choices.
"They like to be on stage and they generate that to the audience," Lewis said.
The Best Direction award went to Bob Hetherington, chair of the department for theater and dance, for "Five Women Who Wore the Same Dress."
Hetherington said one of the perennial challenges of a theater program is to be able to pick material that showcases the talents of the actors.
Hetherington said he picked "Five Women Who Wore the Same Dress" because he felt it would showcase women. The play was written by Allan Ball, who was the screenwriter for "American Beauty."
He said Lewis and Boyle were great for the roles in "Five Women Who Wore the Same Dress."
"Susan and Becca brought diversity and contributed different facets to the play," Hetherington said.
Dziura won the Best Leading Actor in a Drama award for "The House of Blue Leaves."
In addition to his upcoming wedding to Boyle, Dziura said his future plans include teaching theater at the college level or directing films.
"I was really surprised," he said of winning his award. "I had no idea I was under consideration."
Hetherington also was awarded Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical for "Chess," which ran at Playhouse on the Square.
Another faculty member, Pam Goss, won Best Set Design for "A View from the Bridge."
Goss, associate professor of theater and scenic design, said she was happy she had won.
"I've won awards in the past," she said, "But this is particularly gratifying because it was my boldest design."
Goss has been with The U of M for 10 years. She received her MFA in stage design at Northwestern University.
