Hadassah R. Nelson, Theatre UAF's Outstanding Student of the Year 2010-2011 is a graduating senior originally from Talkeetna where she grew up with her mother, father and two brothers.

Talkeetna is a small but artistic community, where homeschooled Hadassah was able to make new friends through extra-curricular activities like band, sports and theatre. She landed her first role before she was even able to read; as an orphan in the musical Annie! In the 9th grade at Su-Valley school, she was the student-director for a production of You Can't Take it With You – a classic comedy. When one of the actors dropped out a week before opening, Hadassah's father cut her hair and she stepped in to the character for the show.

A percussionist, accomplished singer and volleyball player, the stage kept calling Ms. Nelson to return. She played the Narrator in Our Town, and then (as a High School student) she was part of an evening of short plays completely written, directed and produced by students. At 16 she returned to Fairbanks to be part of the Summer Fine Arts Camp theatre track where she "fell in love with the Salisbury <Theatre>". That's when she decided to study at UAF.

While part of the choir in High School, she realized that students who were self-conscious while performing felt awkward; but those that were really into it and enjoying themselves looked great; she noted this, and applied it to being in the choir and still applies it today… "<it> gave me the confidence to really try things…and go all out, in my drama class and choir…and everything else" says Nelson.

During her time at UAF, Nelson was very active. Starting with a Winter Shorts (UAF student drama club produced event) she was part of Ground Squirrel Improvisations and a butoh (dance style) piece Cacaphony. Next semester she was the female lead in another Winter Short Danny in the Deep Blue Sea followed by Midsummer Night's Dream, Split, Huis Clos (another butoh) while also playing roles in Picnic, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Laramie Project, Rosenkrantz & Guildenstern are Dead (for which she played "Rosenkrantz" – one of the two title roles traditionally played by males), How I Learned to Drive, and most recently she played Val in last semester's Bay of Nice which was a Thesis role for Nelson.

Throughout all of these productions, she's been able to maintain a high GPA. When asked how she's managed that she answered "go to class, sit in the front row and volunteer to go first. Always….sitting in front forces you to absorb info because you can't slack off with the teacher looking right at you…even if you are doing 3 shows." "Also," she continues, "don't be afraid to withdraw from something if you find that you took on too much or if you just hate the class. I like to sign up for an extra class with the knowledge that I have the option of letting go of one before the full refund date is passed."

When asked about sharing her advice to new students, or those tempted to get started, Ms. Nelson offered this: "Get involved as much as possible, but not so much that you can't do what you said you could. If you are just starting...don't know anybody...too shy to audition (as I was my first semester here) volunteer to help in whatever way you can/are inclined to. Then you make friends, and the people that you helped out want to help you/work with you and then it is just a cycle of awesome."

We hope you enjoy this presentation of The Winter's Tale, and perhaps after watching Ms. Nelson's performance as Hermione you'll see why she makes an excellent "Outstanding Student of the Year"!