The Maryland Stage Company, founded by its Artistic Director Xerxes Mehta, was the professional theatre company in residence at UMBC. From 1987 to 2002, the Maryland Stage Company developed an international reputation for excellence, known especially for its Beckett and unconventional approaches to the classics, and performed not only in Baltimore but also in tours of France (1996) and Germany (2000). The MSC featured the talents of its Associate Artists Wendy Salkind, Terry Cobb, Sam McCready and Elena Zlotescu, as well as the work of UMBC's best theatre students both on and off stage.