The local theater community was abuzz with news this week that recent Fresno State graduate Matthew McGee scored a nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a play for the 29th Helen Hayes Awards, which represent excellence in Washington, D.C.-area professional theater. In doing so, he's in the company of such nominees as Kathleen Turner, Paul Downs Colaizzo and Christopher Sieber.

McGee appeared in such local Fresno productions as "Urinetown," "Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter" and "Measure for Measure" at Fresno State, and "Of Mice and Men" at CenterStage Clovis Community Theatre.

He's also quite a set designer as well. McGee represented Fresno State in 2011 at the American College Theatre Festival in Washington, D.C., the premier collegiate acting competition in the nation. He didn't win the top prize but scored big anyway, winning a paid nine-month internship with The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington.

In fact, McGee's internship likely turned out to be a much bigger boost to his career than if he'd won the top Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship prize. He parlayed his D.C. acting experience into a professional role at the Constellation Theatre Company in the play "Taking Steps," his first professional role.

The awards will be held April 8.