• Melissa Benton Wallis - Director of Theatre
    Melissa is pleased to be in her 16th year at Boswell and her 31st year in education. She received a BA in Theatre from Texas Wesleyan University. Before she began teaching, Melissa performed professionally locally and nationally. Melissa began her teaching career at Kennedale High School from 1992-2002. While there, her students advanced to State UIL-OAP Competition in 1998 and 2000. In 2001, the KHS production, The Music Man, was named Best Musical and Best Direction at the first Casa Manana Betty Lynn Buckley Awards. Melissa then went on to lead the Theatre Department at Arlington Juan Seguin High School, 2002-2007. While there, her students received numerous awards, most notably nominated for Best Musical in 2005 and winning Best Direction in 2006 at Casa Manana’s Betty Lynn Buckley Awards. The Theatre Department also advanced to Regional UIL-OAP Competition in 2006. Since coming to Boswell in 2007 her students have been nominated and have won numerous awards at the Betty Lynn Buckley Awards and at the Schmidt and Jones Awards sponsored by Lyric Theatre, most notably Best Musical nominations in 2010 for the musical Curtains, 2012 for the musical Hairspray, and 2015 for the musical Footloose. The 2014 musical A Christmas Carol received 10 nominations and won three awards. Best Actor in a Minor Role, Best Orchestra, and Best Scenic Design. The theatre department has advanced to Area Competition seveal times in UIL-OAP taking numerous individual awards along the way. The UIL OAP Shipwrecked advanced to state competition 2017 and was named 2nd runner-up. The following year the UIL OAP Company advanced as Regional Alternate to the State competition. Boswell Theatre graduates can be found in prestigious university theatre programs across the United States.

    Melissa has received the following professional honors: TWU’s Alumni of the year (2004), Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers (1994),  Kennedale High School Educator of the Year (1994-95); Lockheed Martin Teacher Excellence Award (1995-96); Finalist, Bayard Friedman Heroes Award for Theatre (2002); Kennedale Educator of the Year (2000-01); Finalist, Disney’s American Teacher Awards (2001); Juan Seguin Educator of the Year (2004-05); recipient of an Eagle Mountain- Saginaw ISD Peer Professional Award (2008-09).

    She is also in her 10th year as Department Lead for the Boswell Fine Arts Department. 
  • Adam Hargrove, Director of Boswell Theatre Adam Hargrove
    Adam Hargrove is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University. He received his B.F.A. in 2003 and began his teaching career at Boswell High School in 2004. He took over the responsibilities of the Technical Director in 2007. Since 2007, 12 student designers under the direction of Mr. Hargrove have been nominated for the Design scholarships through the Betty Lynn Buckley Awards and the Schmidt and Jones awards.
    Mr. Hargrove also directs productions for Boswell High School in addition to his duties as technical director. A few of his favorite directing experiences have been: Waiting for Lefty, Bury the Dead, Romeo and Juliet, The Glass Menagerie, Steel Magnolias, Bus Stop, The Bald Soprano, A Thousand Cranes, And Flights of Angels, and Harvey.