New Hampton's Morgan Murphy Receives Whitman College 2003 Pete Reid Award

Morgan Murphy, Founder and Artistic Director of Performance PLUS at New Hampton School, has been named by Whitman College the recipient of the 2003 Pete Reid Award. The Pete Reid Award for Young Alumni is given by the Whitman College Alumni Association to someone whose youthful exuberance is demonstrated daily toward his or her career, community, and Whitman College as exemplified by Pete Reid '49 in his service to the College. This award is limited to graduates of the last fifteen years.

Named Harper Joy Theatre's best actor of the 1988-1989 season and earlier in his college career the Bradley J. Hunt Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre in 1987-1988, Morgan Murphy's star has continued to shine. After receiving his B.A. in Theatre as a Presidential Scholar at Whitman College, Murphy earned his M.F.A. in Acting from Connecticut Repertory Theater, where he received the Victor Borgia Award in Acting. A member of Actor's Equity Association, Murphy holds conservatory certificates from the National Shakespeare Conservatory and the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City.

Murphy's other accomplishments include working as an actor, director and instructor in educational and regional theatres on both coasts. While serving as Visiting Professor of Theatre at Whitman College in 2001-2002, he directed Christopher Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation and the world-premiere production of Charles Evered's Wilderness of Mirrors. In New Hampshire, he co-produces the Festival on Golden Pond with Ernest Thompson, Academy Award winning author of the acclaimed film. Murphy's recent credits include directing Postcards from World War II at the Lyric Stage in Boston, originating the role of David in Evered's Visitng at Harper Joy Theatre, appearing in Seattle-based Run/Remain films, and playing Fagin in Oliver! for New Hampshire Family Theatre. In October 2002, Murphy directed Fiddler on the Roof at the Palace Theater in Manchester, and will be directing The Wizard of Oz at the Palace Theater in October 2003.

Murphy joined the New Hampton School faculty in 1992 and served as arts director until 2001. During the 2001-2002 academic year, Murphy served as sabbatical replacement for Harper Joy Theatre's director, Nancy Simon ‚63. During his tenure, Murphy had a dramatic impact on the students. After returning to New Hampton School in June 2002, Performance PLUS hired several Whitman graduates and continues to offer an East Coast connection to Whitman theatre students.