<p>The University of Washington School of Drama, under the leadership of Interim Executive Director Lynn Thomas and Interim Associate Director Geoff Korf, is announcing several new faculty and staff appointments.<br /><img src="/sites/drama/files/images/frace_jeffrey.jpg" width="60" height="75" alt="Jeffrey Fracé" title="Jeffrey Fracé" style="margin: 10px;" caption="false" align="left" /></p>

<h2>A hearty congratulations to all the members of the UW School of Drama family who were nominated for a 2019 Gregory Award! Nominees are:</h2>
<p><strong>Holly Arsenault</strong> (UW Drama staff member; BA 2001) is nominated for Outstanding New Play for<em> The Great Inconvenience</em> at Annex Theatre</p>

<p><span>Our Meet an MFA series continues today with recently graduated PATP actor Taylor Jones!</span></p>

<p>Below is the full text of UW Drama PATP alum Sunam Ellis' (MFA '15) keynote speech at the UW Drama 2019 Graduation Ceremony. We feel sure you will find it as funny, wise, and inspirational as our graduates did. Happy graduation! </p>
<hr /><p>Thank you faculty, guests, families, friends, and graduating class of 2019 for having me here today. I am truly humbled.</p>

<p>Director Jane Nichols' director's note for<em> The Learned Ladies</em> illuminates this production while also serving as a beautiful treatise on the rigors of comedic performance and why we need it, maybe more than even, right now. Please enjoy.</p>
<p>"Director's Note</p>

<p><span>From now until the end of the school year, we will be introducing and celebrating our graduating students, looking back on the work they've done during their time here, and sharing their reflections and wisdom as they head off into the professional world. Today our series continues with graduating MFA actor Phillip Ray Guevara.<br /></span></p>