
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, September 30, 1995                   TAG: 9510030008
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MILL MOUNTAIN THEATRE NAMES ZSCHIEGNER NEW RESIDENT DIRECTOR

Doug Zschiegner, an Illinois-born actor, teacher and director, has hitched up with Mill Mountain Theatre as its new resident director.

Zschiegner and the theater are hardly strangers. He played Lt. Kendrick in Mill Mountain's production of "A Few Good Men," and more recently played Prince Escalus and served as assistant director for "Romeo and Juliet."

Zsciegner will both act and direct in his new job, according to Executive and Artistic Director Jere Lee Hodgin. Offstage duties will include being in charge of auditions and casting, handling the theater's regular lunchtime "Centerpieces" series, and directing one of the plays in this year's Norfolk Southern Festival of New Works. He also will oversee Mill Mountain's Drama Enrichment program and summer day camps and workshops in drama.

Zschiegner holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master of fine arts degree from the University of Delaware Professional Theatre Training Program. He attended the National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York and has performed in Shakesperean plays all over the country.

While Zschiegner was hired in the wake of Associate Director Ernie Zulia's departure at the end of last season, Hodgin said he is not Zulia's replacement. After Zulia left, Hodgin said, he reorganized the theater's operations, creating the resident director's job.

"We believe [Zschiegner] will be a tremendous asset to the theater," Hodgin said.

by CNB