First Stage Awards Lois Lowry Scholarship to Erin Stapleton

Erin Stapleton, a young performer and Theater Academy student at First Stage, was awarded the Lois Lowry Scholarship for Summer and School Year Theater Academy classes for the 2012-2013 school year.

The Lois Lowry Scholarship Fund, a merit-based scholarship, is given annually to a deserving student so that they can participate in First Stage Theater Academy programming throughout the year. John Maclay, Academy Director, said of Stapleton and the award, “The award was established to offer as much training as possible to one exceptional student whose work went above and beyond the norm. We have many exceptional students but Erin's work as well as her approach to the work sets her apart.”

Erin, a junior at Wauwatosa West, is grateful for the honor, stating, “It gives me the opportunity to come back and learn more and enjoy this great place for another year.”

The Lois Lowry Scholarship Fund was created in 2007, named for award-winning author Lois Lowry in honor of her contributions to children’s literature and drama for young people. Lowry is a prolific figure in children’s and young adult fiction, known for her versatility and invention as a writer. She is the author of more than thirty books for young adults, including the popular Anastasia series. Lowry was awarded Newbery Medals for two of her novels, “The Giver” in 1994, and “Number the Stars” in 1990.