Toby Barbara Orenstein (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Press; born May 23, 1937) is an American theatrical director, producer, and educator. She has two honorable mentions for the

Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre The Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre is a non-competitive award created by the American Theatre Wing in 1990. They are presented to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but ...

. Orenstein was inducted into the

Maryland Women's Hall of Fame The Maryland Women's Hall of Fame (MWHF) recognizes significant achievements and statewide contributions made by women who are Maryland-natives or state residents. It was established in 1985 by the Maryland Commission for Women and the Women Legisl ...

in 2008. Selected by

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

for her federal education project in the

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

, Orenstein taught

Dramaturgy Dramaturgy is the study of dramatic composition and the Representation (arts), representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. The term first appears in the eponymous work ''Hamburg Dramaturgy'' (1767–69) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing ...

to students in a local public school in the late 1950s. In 1972, at the request of pioneering businessman and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

James Rouse James Wilson Rouse (April 26, 1914 – April 9, 1996) was an American businessman and founder of The Rouse Company. Rouse was a pioneering American real estate developer, urban planner, civic activist, and later, free enterprise-based philanthr ...

, Orenstein founded the non-profit

Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

through which, the nationally acclaimed theatre troupe the Young Columbians was created for the

United States Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...

. Later, Orenstein established the award-winning

Toby's Dinner Theatre Toby's Dinner Theatre is a Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area professional dinner theater based in Columbia, Maryland. History Soon after the establishment of the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts (CCTA), Toby Orenstein decided to o ...

in 1975. Her commitment to the

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...

is considered legendary. Alongside her work in theatre, Orenstein is a community and social activist, and is the president of the board of directors for the

. She raises funds for scholarships and community programs including over ten years of producing Labor of Love to raise money for the AIDS Alliance of Howard County. Orenstein has also chaired and directed the Howard County Arts Gala for the Arts Council (3 years), participated in the events for the Carson Scholars Fund, and directed and produced plays for

United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

and the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

stationed overseas. In 2014, Orenstein was honored with the Leadership Award for Accessibility by the Howard County Commission on Disabilities.

Early life

Orenstein was born

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, to Mildred and Sam Press. As a child, Orenstein had an innate proclivity towards drama leading to her first role was as a pilgrim in a kindergarten play. This interest in drama continued through

Primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

where she directed shows in school and on the playground with her classmates. Orenstein successfully auditioned for the selective

High School of Performing Arts The High School of Performing Arts (informally known as "PA") was a public alternative high school established in 1947 and located at 120 West 46th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, from 1948 to 1984. In 1961, the school was m ...

in New York City. Onlookers of the audition described her delivery of a

monologue In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...

as coming from "the gut." After the initial excitement of the acceptance, Orenstein eventually developed a dislike of the school's "lacking support system." Orenstein says of her time at the Performing Arts school, “

t was T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is deri ...

cut-throat competitive, not at all a nurturing environment.” Subsequently, Orenstein transferred to a local Bronx high school in the middle of her

junior year A junior is person in the third year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. In United States high schools, a junio ...

where she won best actress and directed the senior show.

Career

Upon graduation with a B.F.A. in theatre and a minor in education from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, Orenstein was selected as one of twelve teachers for

's federal education project in

, New York called the All Day Neighborhood School Project. Having seen her teach at the

Burn Brae Dinner Theatre A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur mainl ...

Burtonsville, Maryland Burtonsville is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is situated in the northeast corner of Montgomery County, right on the border of both Howard and Prince George's counties. It ...

, in 1972

asked Orenstein to move to Columbia, where she became the founder and director of the

(CCTA), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that is funded, in part, by the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

, th
Maryland State Arts Council
and th
Howard County Arts Council
In 1975, she created the Young Columbians, a dynamic performance troupe of young people aged 8–21. Its graduates include several Broadway actors and, most notably, former Howard County resident

Edward Norton Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations. Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised ...

, an acclaimed actor, activist and

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominee. Other notable alumni of the Young Columbians include Steve Blanchard and

Caroline Bowman Caroline Bowman is an American theatre actress who has performed in multiple Broadway musicals, including '' Fame'', '' Grease'', ''Spamalot'', '' Evita'', ''Wicked'', '' Kinky Boots'', and the national tour of ''Frozen''. Education Bowman a ...

. Performance venues include the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

Wolf Trap A wolf trap (Spanish ''lobera'', Italian ''luparia'') was a chase ending in a pit with trapdoor and stakes used by beaters in hunting wolves in medieval Europe.Towards a History of the Basque Language José Ignacio Hualde, Joseba A. Lakarra, Rob ...

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

Merriweather Post Pavilion Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue located within Symphony Woods, a lot of preserved land in the heart of the planned community of Columbia, Maryland. In 2010, Merriweather was named the second best amphitheater in the Unit ...

The Fillmore The Fillmore is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California. Built in 1912 and originally named the Majestic Hall, it became the Fillmore Auditorium in 1954. It is in Western Addition, on the edge of the Fillmore District and Upper Fil ...

Lake Kittamaqundi Lake Kittamaqundi is a man made reservoir located in Columbia, Maryland in the vicinity of the Mall in Columbia as well as Merriweather Post Pavilion. It is also adjacent to offices and visible from US-29. The lake was created by The Rouse C ...

The Ellipse The Ellipse (sometimes referred to as President's Park South) is a park south of the White House fence and north of Constitution Avenue and the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Ellipse is also the name of the circumference street within t ...

House of the Temple The House of the Temple is a Masonic temple in Washington, D.C., United States that serves as the headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. (officially, Home of The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient & Accepted S ...

, the

Washington D.C. Temple The Washington D.C. Temple (formerly the Washington Temple) is the 18th constructed and 16th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is located in Kensington, Maryland, United States, just north of W ...

, and others. Since 1979, Orenstein is also the Artistic Director and owner of

Columbia, Maryland Columbia is a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland. It is one of the principal communities of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. It is a planned community consisting of 10 self-contained villages. Columbia began with ...

Personal life

Orenstein is married to

economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...

Harold (Hal) Orenstein. Together they have two children: a son, Jeffery (born 1961), and a daughter, Mindy (born 1963). They reside in

Education and awards

Education

(first 2.5 years) *

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

(area) High School * Cortland State Teachers' College (first year) * B.F.A. in Theatre with a minor in education from

Awards

* 1985: Voted Columbian of the Year by ''Columbia Magazine'' * 1990: Howie Award for outstanding contributions to the Arts in Howard County * 1996: Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Musical * 1996: Business Volunteer of the Year, Howard County * 1996-99: Voted Best of

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

by ''

Baltimore Magazine ''Baltimore'' magazine is a monthly magazine published in Baltimore, Maryland by Rosebud Entertainment L.L.C., a company owned by Steve Geppi and led by its President Michael Teitelbaum. It is the oldest, continuously published city magazine in ...

'' for Toby's Dinner Theatre * 1998: Outstanding Women by the

Maryland State Department of Education Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is a division of the state government of Maryland in the United States. The agency oversees public school districts, which are 24 local school systems—one for each of Maryland's 23 counties plus one ...

for creativity and enriching the lives of people in Maryland * 1997:

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

Alliance Community Recognition Award for 10 years of service, support and guidance * 2001: Featured in the book: ''Lives in Arts: Sixteen Women Who Changed Theatre in Baltimore'' * 2001: Selected Honorary Chair for Howard County Arts Gala * 2002: Named to Howard County Women's Hall of Fame * 2003:

Helen Hayes Award The Helen Hayes Awards are theater awards recognizing excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are named in tribute of Helen Hayes, who is also known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." They ar ...

for Outstanding Direction of a Musical, ''

Jekyll & Hyde ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is a 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old ...

''; Maryland's Top 100 Women, ''The Daily Record'' * 2004:

National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college stude ...

Summer Assessment Grant * 2005: Outstanding Service to Educational Theatre, Maryland Theatre Association * 2007: Marylander of Distinction, ''Maryland Life Magazine'' * 2008: Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, Maryland Commission for Women * 2011: Exemplar Award: ACE Hall of Fame, Howard County Chamber of Commerce * 2012: Sue Hess Maryland Arts Advocate of the Year Award
Maryland Citizens for the Arts
* 2015: Audrey Robbins Humanitarian Employee of the Year from the Association of Community Services of Howard County * 2015: Sonya Award from th
Carson Scholars fund
and presented by

Ben Carson Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. (born September 18, 1951) is an American retired neurosurgeon and politician who served as the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021. A pioneer in the field of neurosurgery, he ...

* 2016: Person of the Year: Readers' Choice Awards, Maryland Theatre Guide * 2016: Helen Production Award nomination with Lawrence B. Munsey for Outstanding Director of a Musical, '' Ragtime, The Musical''. * 2016: Helen Production Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical, ''Ragtime, The Musical''. * 2017:

Honorable Mention presented by

Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...

Footnotes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orenstein, Toby Living people 1937 births 20th-century American businesspeople 21st-century American businesspeople 20th-century American women artists 21st-century American women artists 21st-century American actresses Columbia University School of the Arts alumni Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Businesspeople from Baltimore Businesspeople from New York City Bronx People from Columbia, Maryland American women philanthropists People from Howard County, Maryland Philanthropists from New York (state) Jewish American actresses Jewish American philanthropists Jewish American artists Educators from Maryland American patrons of the arts Educators from New York City 20th-century American educators 21st-century American educators 20th-century American women educators 21st-century American women educators 21st-century American Jews