Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe has awarded scholarships to six deserving students. Last year - the first for WBTT's scholarship program - six up-and-coming artists were presented with $1,000 scholarships for studies in a college or conservatory program in the performing arts or arts management for the 2019-2020 academic year; this year, WBTT provided six young artists with scholarships of $2,000 each.
The scholarship winners are: Todd Bellamy II, Alan P. Kurland Artist Development Scholarship; Charlotte Corporan, Linda & Bill Berliner Artist Development Scholarship; Ariana Fitzgerald, Marie McKee & Robert Cole Artist Development Scholarship; Jatavian Peterson, Jack & Priscilla Schlegel Artist Development Scholarship; Maicy Powell, Marian Moss Artist Development Scholarship; and Aleah Williams, Kitty & John Cranor Artist Development Scholarship.
To be eligible, participants must have performed on the WBTT stage in at least two productions, worked at WBTT as an intern, or have been a participant in the WBTT Stage of Discovery summer musical theater intensive program. Funds are disbursed directly to the educational institution the awardees are or will be attending.
Here is a little more about the scholarship winners:
Scholarship funds have been generously provided by donors and named scholarships represent committed donations of at least $6,000, paid over three years. In addition, WBTT received memorial gifts made in honor of late board member Alan Kurland - who began serving on the WBTT board in 2010 and died in April - to fund his named scholarship.
"While WBTT is dedicated to producing the finest dramatic and musical theater, my dream - my true calling and purpose for founding this organization - has always been to help young aspiring artists who may otherwise be overlooked to develop their talents and have the opportunity to achieve success," said WBTT Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs. "We are thrilled to be able to contribute financially to the arts education of these deserving students and look forward to seeing just how much they will achieve in the coming years."
For more about WBTT, go to westcoastblacktheatre.org or call 941-366-1505.
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