Althoff Catholic High School Student Awarded New Line's Musical Theatre Scholarship

New Line Theatre, "the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre," soon to start its 23rd season of provocative, alternative musical theatre, has awarded its 2013 musical theatre scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to Elizabeth Ferris, of Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, who plans to study theatre at Illinois Wesleyan University. Judith Newmark, theatre critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, selects the winner of the scholarship each year, which is funded through the donations of New Line supporters.

Elizabeth has appeared in many productions at Althoff High School and with Looking Glass Playhouse, including Once Upon a Mattress, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hello, Dolly!, Chess, Guys and Dolls, Mame, and others.

Each year, the New Line Theatre Scholarship Fund awards a scholarship to one St. Louis metro area high school senior who shows the potential to make outstanding artistic contributions in the musical theatre. This scholarship is available only to high school seniors planning to study musical theatre in college. Past recipients include Jake Fruend of Webster High School, who attended Columbia College in Chicago; Matt Dumke of Kirkwood High School, who attends Missouri State University; Patrick Beecher of Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (MICDS), who attends Northwestern University; and Amanda Leigh Jerry, from Nerinx Hall High School, who now attends Carnegie Mellon University.

"We always wanted to offer an annual scholarship," says New Line artistic director Scott Miller, "and we couldn't be happier to provide this small help to some young artist who wants to pursue work in the musical theatre. It's an amazing time to be working in the American musical theatre -- we're in a new Golden Age today -- and we hope that these promising students find as much joy in that work as the New Liners all do."

New Line Theatre's 2013-2014 season will include the regional premiere of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, running Oct. 10-Nov. 2; the modern masterpiece RENT, March 6-29; and the regional premiere, straight from Broadway, of HANDS ON A HARDBODY, May 29-June 21. For other information, visit New Line Theatre's full-service website at www.newlinetheatre.com. All programs are subject to change.

And New Line's alter-ego, New Line Theatre Off Line, will hold its annual fundraiser, REVENGE OF THAT 70s GAME SHOW! LIVE!, Friday, August 2 at the Regional Arts Commission. More information is online at http://www.newlinetheatre.com/offline-gameshow2013.html.

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