The Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative – 4-Year Partial University Scholarship Launches

New York, NY (November 22, 2016) – The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President and CEO) announced today that their Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative has launched its first annual application period for 4-Year Partial University Scholarships. For more information, or to apply, click here.

“I have always been a passionate supporter of young talent. It is crucial that proper training is available for the performers of the future and it fills me with great joy that my Foundation can help in this way,” said Andrew Lloyd Webber.

“Thanks to Andrew’s generosity we will be able to offer talented and passionate students who face financial barriers the chance to pursue a theatre degree and career. This is simply thrilling for the American Theatre Wing, and critical to the future of the American theatre,” said Heather Hitchens.

With the generous support of The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, the American Theatre Wing is investing in direct support for underserved public high school seniors demonstrating exceptional talent and economic need who wish to attend a university to study theatre or musical theatre. Through the 4-Year Partial University Scholarships, the Wing hopes to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, and create a strong pipeline to the professional theatre for promising artists of all backgrounds.

High school students in grade 12 who demonstrate talent and ability in the theatre arts, but have a lack of resources to attend a four year university program are eligible to apply. The student’s area of focus can be from any aspect of theatre from performance, to design, to writing, to stage management, and others. Applicants should demonstrate need and talent, and passion for attending a university through an audition video or portfolio.

The Scholarships can be used at an accredited private or public university or college in the United States. Each of the scholars will be provided with scholarships of up to $10,000 towards their course fees, renewable for four years so long as a minimum GPA of 3.0 is maintained.

The American Theatre Wing’s Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative is a major new national initiative which received $1.3 million in seed funding from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, and will support theatre education opportunities for underserved young people and under-resourced public schools around the United States. This project is an expansion of the work that the multi-Tony Award winning composer and producer has been doing to promote and fund arts education through his Foundation in the United Kingdom. It serves to both strengthen and expand the Wing’s core mission of nurturing the next generation of theatre makers and patrons. Other funders are urged to join Andrew Lloyd Webber in support of these critical opportunities for young people. To join these efforts, please contact the American Theatre Wing’s Director of Programs, Joanna Sheehan Bell (joanna@americantheatrewing.org).