From left: Emily Gray, Kerry Cole, and J. Brent Alford in Theatre Three's House.

Emily Gray, adjunct professor of Theatre at Richland College, was selected by the Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum for her outstanding performance in 2007-08.

Ms. Gray, one of eight actresses recognized on the annual awards list, was honored for her work in Season’s Greetings!, House and Garden, and Popcorn at Dallas’ Theatre Three.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum is comprised of print journalists in North Texas who work primarily in the area of theater criticism. The Forum chooses several favorites in each category, without singling out a winner. See the list here.

Ms. Gray says she honored to receive the award and to be able to share her expertise with aspiring actors.

“I love teaching the Richland students because it constantly keeps me fresh and open to new ideas,” she says. “The young actor is a sponge and seeing people discover new ways of doing things or suddenly succeeding gives me so much joy. I love what I do as an actor professionally and being able to share that joy with young people is a double joy. Besides I’m not very good and stopping and sitting still!”

Ms. Gray hails from England and took an interest in theater at a young age, participating in school productions of Taming of the Shrew and Othello. She graduated from Denstone College and attended Warwick University, where she served as president of the Warwick University Drama Society. Ms. Gray taught drama at Queen Margaret’s School before attending Drama Studio London, where she met her husband, Matthew, a native of Richardson, Texas.

The couple married and moved to New York. There Ms. Gray worked for the Off-Broadway Pearl Theatre Company, where she played several roles including Millimant in The Way of the World. Her other work included Yes Is For A Very Young Man, The Duchess of Malfi, Queen Margaret and Too Rustic!

Ms. Gray received a 2003 AudioFile Earphone award for her narration of the children’s book Rowan Hood and was finalist for the Audio Publishers Association’s 2004 Audie Award for best comedic performance of a recorded book, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan.

In 2004, the Grays started the Classical Acting Company, which performed in Fannin Performance Hall at Richland College and later at ArtSpace Theatre in Plano. Besides serving as co-artistic director, Ms. Gray played Beatrice in the company’s production of Much Ado About Nothing and Maria in A Flea in Her Ear. Despite critical acclaim, the company ceased production in January 2007 due to financial difficulties.