From Center Mat to Center Stage
Dan Hays’ true calling nearly came on a wrestling mat and not on a stage.
Dan, Director of Theater Activities at Midland, was a standout wrestler in high school and was offered a scholarship to compete in college. But his love for the stage eventually won him over.
“Theatre and music were my true calling, and theatre productions and music events don’t leave a lot of time to go to wrestling practices and meets. But I still love wrestling.”
His love for theatre was enhanced at the University of Nebraska-Kearney (then Kearney State), where one of his professors, William Lynn, influenced Dan that remains with him to this day. “He was my choral director and mentor, and he was the greatest teacher. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t reference something I learned from him.”
Dan is in his eighth year at Midland, teaching a wide array of subjects to students, including Acting, Directing, Introduction to Theatre, Performance Practicum, Theatre History, Capstones, and all upper-level courses in theatre. He has a passion for every class he teaches and appreciates his students and colleagues’ willingness to grow in their love of the arts. “I get passionate about teaching theatre history and introducing new people to theatre, and I love teaching acting. Our students are amazing. They are smart, talented, and dedicated. Also, our performing arts staff is some of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
Himself an actor for many years, you can still find Dan performing in local theaters. If his career hadn’t led him to teaching others about acting, he might have become an actor himself. “I was a professional performer for many years before going back to school and getting my education certification. I made a living at it, but it was a grueling schedule. One time, I was working on 11 different productions at the same time. My workday started at 6:30 a.m. and ended at 2:30 a.m. It almost killed me!”
If not teaching or performing, you will likely find Dan watching something on the big screen. “I am a huge lover of movies. If someone would pay me to watch movies all day, that would be my dream job.”
As he looks back on his own time as a student, Dan is hopeful the current generation of students is open-minded when it comes to experiencing life at Midland. “I recently told one of my classes that I wish I could go back to school with the mindset I have now. I would open myself up to exploring, learning, and appreciating what my faculty was teaching me. I had a great education, but I didn’t soak up all that was being offered.”
Getting to know Dan Hays:
Snack that you can’t resist: Anything salty, especially chips and dips.
When flipping channels, I’ll always stop to watch this: The Wild Wild West, Game of Thrones or Schitt’s Creek
What artist dominates your playlist? Queen, Billy Joel, Richard Marx, Manhattan Transfer, and Three Dog Night. Among current artists, probably Ed Sheeran.
What is your ideal vacation? New York City. Eleven Broadway Shows in eight days, and all the things to do in the city that never sleeps.
What is your most-used emoji? Really rarely use one. Probably some kind of music note 🎵 or theatre mask 🎭 – but I always find it so hard to find the one I want that I give up and don’t send one (I’m very old school).
