"We are so excited to recognize the incredible lifetime of work by Stephen Schwartz while assisting talented young performers from our region," stated Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. "With the founding support of Tim and Char Scroggins, and many additional gifts, to date we have awarded over $26,000 worth of scholarships to 35 very talented students."
All applicants must have a permanent address in Montgomery County or one of seven contiguous counties (Preble, Darke, Miami, Clark, Greene, Warren or Butler) OR be currently enrolled at a college or high school in one of the eight counties previously listed. The next round of scholarship applications will be Fall 2012. Anyone interested in donating to this scholarship fund should contact For more information about Stephen Schwartz, please visit www.stephenschwartz.com and www.musicalschwartz.com.
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In September 2007, The Human Race Theatre Company created a scholarship that honors the musical theatre legend Stephen Schwartz - composer of Godspell, Pippin, The Baker's Wife, Children of Eden, Working, Wicked - and The Human Race's regional premiere of SNAPSHOTS: A Musical Scrapbook. The Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarship is designed to support singer/actors in the greater Dayton area who are training for a career in musical theatre.
"The musical theatre survives and flourishes only with the infusion of new talent," said award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz. "I've always tried to support and encourage emerging talent, and so I am proud and excited to have this scholarship named for me."|
STEPHEN SCHWARTZ
In a departure from the past four years, the judges for the 2012 Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarships have made their decisions based upon the students' applications, letters of recommendation and most importantly, their video audition. According to Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore, "each year we were spending money to produce a show to give away scholarships – which was eating up scholarship money. This year, thanks to the technology that makes video submission much easier and better quality, the judges were able to make their choices, still applying the guidelines used during the live audition." This year's recipient of the $1,000 High School Scholarship is Centerville High School Senior - Erin Ulman. Besides leading roles at CHS (Dolly in Hello, Dolly!) and at Stivers School for the Performing Arts (Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire), Erin has been a regular performer with the Epiphany Players, and has studied with the Wright State MAPP program and Human Race Conservatory. Earning the 2012 College Scholarship of $2,500 is Wright State Sophomore, Zachary Jordan Steele. Zack most recently appeared in the Wright State production of Rent, and previous WSU productions of Jekyll & Hyde and Bernstein's MASS. He appeared in Encore Theater's Altar Boyz and as Huck Finn in Big River at the Carnegie Performing Arts Center. Last year, Zack performed in the Human Race's workshop of Play It Cool and Columbus' Short North Stage inaugural production of Follies in Concert. Both Erin and Zack will be featured performers at an upcoming Human Race 25th Anniversary celebration. Congratulations to both as they continue their education and their careers.
Human Race Theatre Announces Alex Finke and Mimi Klipstine Dick are the winners of The Human Race Theatre Company's Fourth Annual Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarship competition, chosen from among ten finalists who performed at The Loft Theatre April 26. The Human Race, Dayton's own professional theatre company, created the scholarships after presenting the premiere of the famed composer's (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, among many others) Snapshots in 2007. The competition is open to high school seniors and college students from the Dayton region who are or plan on majoring in musical theatre. Each contestant prepared a song by Schwartz and another musical theatre number. Finke, a University of Michigan junior from Centerville, sang "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin and "Pulled" from The Addams Family. Dick, an Interlochen Arts Academy senior from West Milton, performed "Defying Gravity" from Wicked and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" from Anything Goes. Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Musical Director Neal Gittleman served as host for the finals. Judges were Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore, Victoria Theatre Association Vice-President – Programming Tina McPhearson, and Human Race Resident Artist and Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Associate Professor of Musical Theatre Voice Patricia Linhart. The audience, as a group, also had one vote.
Ten Students Compete for "This is our largest group of finalists in the four years we have been offering the Stephen Schwartz Scholarships," said Kevin Moore, Human Race Producing Artistic Director. "This collection of high school and college students will make our judges' job even harder this year." And their job begins on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at The Human Race's Loft Theatre when 10 students will compete for $3,500 in scholarships. The first scholarships were awarded in 2008 – named for musical theatre legend, composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz. (WICKED, GODSPELL, PIPPIN and many more) Schwartz has attended twice before, but not this year. "Stephen is opening his new opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon this spring at New York City Opera," said Moore. "But I know he will be here in spirit. Stephen has always encouraged young talent." And what a talented group they are: Blaine Boyd, Wright State; Mimi Klipstine Dick, Interlochen H.S.; Joanna Draper, Oakwood H.S.; Bradley Farmer, Springboro H.S.; Alex Finke, University of Michigan; Molly Emerson, Wright State; Mary Kate O'Neill, Fairmont H.S.; Jamard Richardson, University of Oklahoma; Jenyth Rosati, Wright State; and Lucian Smith, Wright State. The evening will be hosted by Dayton Philharmonic Conductor, Neal Gittleman and music directed by Julie Spangler. Similar to last year, the audience will once again get to cast their own vote for a winner, to be combined with the judges evaluations. Tickets, priced at $20 for adults/$15 for students, go on sale Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at Ticket Center Stage – call 937-228-3630, or use the "Buy Tickets Now" button on our website.
The Human Race Theatre Company These seven college students are competing for over $5,000 in scholarship awards:
Hosted by members of the cast of WICKED The audience will help decide the winner! TICKETS: TICKETS AVAILABLE AT TICKET CENTER STAGE Call 937-228-3630 Or Visit www.ticketcenterstage.com
Schwartz Helps Judge Human Race Theatre
The man whose work inspired The Human Race Theatre's Annual Scholarship competition for musical theatre students flew to Dayton Saturday (April 18, 2009) to help judge the finals and award the prizes. The Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarships were created by The Human Race after the theatre participated in the premier of Schwartz' Snapshots, A Musical Scrapbook in 2007. The composer had a scheduling conflict for last year's event, but was on hand for this year's final round, in which eight contestants vied for more than $5000 in scholarships. The competitors each performed a Schwartz song and one other musical theatre number. Winner of a $1500 scholarship for a Dayton-region high senior planning to major in musical theatre was Cincinnati Christian senior James C. Blanchard of Hamilton, Ohio, who will be attending Wright State University. Blanchard sang "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin and "Make Someone Happy" from Do Re Mi. Winner of a $3500 scholarship for a current collegian was Jason Slattery of Miamisburg, Ohio, a junior at Baldwin-Wallace College. Slattery sang "With You" from Pippin and "One Track Mind" from Sweet Smell of Success. All other finalists received $250 scholarships. The Human Race Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarships were established by a donation from Tim and Char Scroggins, who have been joined by Evelyn Burkins (Char's mother); National City Bank, now a part of PNC; Werner Triftshouser; The ARACA Group; and Jerry and Rita Gallo Doerger.
Two Win Stephen Schwartz Scholarships from Two southwestern Ohio students were the winners of the first annual Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Scholarship competition held by The Human Race Theatre Company. The two were chosen by a panel of five judges from among eight finalists who performed at Dayton's Loft Theatre April 26.
Winner of a $1500 scholarship for high school students planning to major in musical theatre was Alexandra Finke of Centerville, an Alter High School senior planning to attend the University of Michigan. Finke sang "West End Avenue" from Schwartz' The Magic Show and gave a show-stopping rendition of "Gimme Gimme" from Thoroughly Modern Millie. Winner of a $3500 scholarship for current musical theatre majors was Wright State junior Jerome Doerger of Cincinnati. Doerger wowed the crowd and judges with "Proud Lady" from Schwartz' The Baker's Wife and "Being Alive" from Company. The scholarships were inspired by The Human Race's participation with Schwartz in the development of his newest musical, Snapshots A Musical Scrapbook, last fall. Schwartz was present for the announcement of the scholarships during the Snapshots run, and had hoped to be present to hand out the scholarships, but ran into scheduling conflicts in California. The scholarships were funded by Tim and Char Scroggins, with support from Evelyn Burkins. The non-winning finalists each received $250 scholarships, thanks to a gift from Werner Triftshouser in memory of his wife, Julie.
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