Edmonds Driftwood Players (EDP) is pleased to offer annual scholarships each spring to deserving students interested in pursuing theatre education. Scholarships may be used toward tuition at any college, university or technical school in the United States.
For 2023, EDP offered one $500 Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre scholarship and one $500 Theatre Arts scholarship. The 2023 Theatre Arts Scholarship was generously funded by an anonymous donor to honor and acknowledge the over 20 years of service of EDP’s longtime member, Joanne Branch. All theatre majors were welcome to apply, but technical degrees were given priority for the Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre scholarship. The Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre Scholarship was started in 2011 by the family of Ralph Eaton, who was a beloved, long-time volunteer and friend to many at the theatre. The Theatre Arts Scholarship is a long-standing EDP tradition since 1988.
2023 Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre Scholarship
The Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre Scholarship was started in 2011 by the family of Ralph Eaton, who was a beloved, long-time volunteer and friend to many at the theatre. The Theatre Arts Scholarship is a long-standing EDP tradition since 1988.
Ari Lemley is a 2023 graduate of Edmonds Heights K-12 with plans to attend Western Washington University to pursue a BA majoring in Theatre. Ari is no stranger to EDP having attended our Teen Troupe Summer Camp from 2016 to 2019. Ari intends to pursue additional education to further his skills as an actor, director, and teacher. His passion is to teach others the joy of theater. “I think it would be very good for the kids to have a queer role model in their lives, especially because theater draws in so many queer kids.”
Throughout, he has demonstrated an ability to lead his peers in work ethic, generosity in acting and off stage, and immense intellectual curiosity. Working with Ari has been a pleasure from his first audition. He is charismatic, humble, and able…and an asset to every cast and ensemble in which he is placed. -Christopher Puckett, Voice Instructor at Edmonds Heights K-12.
2023 Theatre Arts Scholarship
The 2023 Theatre Arts Scholarship was generously funded by an anonymous donor to honor and acknowledge the over 20 years of service of EDP’s longtime member, Joanne Branch.
Elise McFarland is entering her 3rd year at University of North Carolina School of the Arts working toward her BFA in Acting. Elise also attended EDP’s 2019 Teen Troupe Summer Camp as well as performing in Mr. Scrooge on EDP’s Mainstage in 2016. “There were many times this past year where I doubted my ability as an actor, and consequently my worth as a person. But keeping in mind before I went onstage that what I was doing was not about me, but about connecting to other people and making them feel less alone, ultimately allowed my brain to transform those thoughts into whispers instead of screams.” “During a time where the UNCSA community lost a member of our student body to suicide, I experienced a newfound urge within myself to create work that I was proud of, partly because I’d struggled all of first semester with how I felt about myself as an actor and I wanted to change my trajectory, but mostly because the person we lost no longer had the opportunity to share their art with the world.”
Establishing a new scholarship for Edmonds Driftwood Players is an excellent way to memorialize a loved one or honor them for their accomplishments.Your scholarship gift initiates meaningful and long-lasting benefits for the recipients and the entire community. Contact the office for information on how to create a new scholarship.
You can also donate to the two established scholarships we have: The Ralph Eaton Technical Scholarship Fund for students with a more technical, behind the scenes focus or the Theatre Arts Scholarship for students with a focus on acting.
Submit via email to: [email protected]
Recipients will be selected through an evaluation of the above information as to content, presentation, and completeness. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for awards. It is recommended to submit all required documents at the same time as your application. If your school or mentor would like to submit documents directly to EDP, that is acceptable as long as we receive them by the application deadline. We will not be able to follow-up with individuals regarding missing pieces of their application packets.
