NEW YORK CITY: The American Theatre Wing has announced the recipients of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative‘s programming, which includes the 4-Year University Scholarships, Training Scholarships, and Classroom Resources Grants. The recipients of these awards have all demonstrated exceptional talent and an economic need to continue their study of theatre.
“Arts education, and making theatre available to all young persons, is vital to the growth of our culture and society,” Andrew Lloyd Webber said in a statement. “The grant proposals received this year have shown the urgent need for arts funding in primary and secondary schools across America, and for young persons looking to further their arts education.”
The 4-Year University Scholarships provide $10,000 to go toward course fees for high school students in grade 12 who show ability in theatre arts but lack the resources to attend a four-year university program. The scholarship is renewable for four years as long as the recipient maintains a 3.0 GPA. This year’s recipients include Nena Daniels, Daelin Elzie, Anijah Lezama, Corina Matos Aguilera, Alyssa Payne, Hannah-Kathryn Wall, and Avery Woodruff.
Public middle and high school students who demonstrate skill in theatre but exhibit a lack of resources to pursue high level training prior to college are eligible to apply for the Training Scholarships. The scholarships fund attendance at training programs such as music lessons and theatre training camps. This year’s recipients are Austin Anderson, Nicholas Askew, Eugene Bois, Armani Brown, Jaqueline Cabrero, Jazmyne Charles, Ingrid Nicole Corleto, Jamia Croft, Joilynn Green, Rich Adrian Lazatin, Sydney Lopes, Kelly Lukito, Freedom Martin, Amara McNeil, Katelyn Ortiz, Elise Porter, Imani Preyor, Anthony Quintana, Julia Schick, Isabella Torres, Imani Turner, Indigo Turner, and Carrington Vaughn.
Applications to the Classroom Resource Grants are available for any individual public K-12 school or associated nonprofit parent group in the U.S. or Puerto Rico. These grants provide materials such as instruments, dance floors, and lighting grids to underserved public schools to help create and develop theatre programs. While the priority of funding is for resource requests in the $10,000 to $40,000 range, proposals of up to $100,000 are considered. Among this year’s grant recipients are Hagerman Elementary School, which will use the provided funds to purchase a new sound system; McCluer High School, whose grant money will go toward working stage lights and sound for their theatre, in addition to replacing the stack-able chairs that currently serve as the theatre’s seating; and Tyler Elementary School, which will use the funds to purchase and install new stage curtains to be used in all school-wide performances. Other grant winners include Charter School of New Castle, Chavez High School, the Donald McKay K-8 School, East Lee County High School, Gregory-Lincoln Education Center School of Performing and Visual Arts, Mariposa Elementary School, Northside High School, Steel Academy, Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts, and Washington Middle School.
“Since we launched the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative almost three years ago, we have significantly expanded it to provide more support to even more schools and students all across the country,” said Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, in a statement. “To date, the Initiative has awarded over $1.3 million in grants and scholarships, reaching over thirty-five thousand students nationwide.”
