Miami, Florida
Marty Hancock is one of the pillars of Miami’s theatre education community. In 1961 she chartered Thespian Troupe 1298 at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, and later she spent thirty-one years teaching at Miami Senior High School, where she directed Troupe 327.
Ms. Hancock’s influence reached beyond her classroom: she always had time for students from other schools, whether helping on an audition monologue or giving advice on college options. She went out of her way to mentor new and struggling teachers by sharing lesson plans, helping with play selection, and critiquing their work.
Additionally, she served as Florida Thespian District VIII chair in the 1970s, and Florida chapter director from 1977 to 1980.
She is a founding member of the Florida Association for Theatre Education, and was named FATE Educator of the Year and Dade Association for Theatre Education Educator of the Year. She was also recognized for her outstanding service by the Florida State Thespians.
Ms. Hancock participated on several influential committees for Miami-Dade County and Florida, including the advisory committee for state drama certification and the drama, speech, and journalism textbook adoption committee for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Even after officially retiring nearly thirteen years before her induction into the Hall of Fame, Ms. Hancock continued to adjudicate individual events and one-acts for the Florida Theatre Conference, Florida State Thespian Festival, Southeastern Theatre Conference, and International Thespian Festival. She was a guest lecturer at the University of Miami and worked with non-theatre majors there. She also conducted workshops and was a member of the Florida conference main stage screening committee.
