Grants & Scholarships

for Winter/Spring projects: October 15

for Summer/Fall projects: April 1

2020 - Jackie Dulaff, Victoria Gill, & Cassy Sottile (USITT Conference)

2019 - Caitlyn Creasy (DanceLife Teacher Conference); Hannah Sauer (Nederlander Org)

2017 - Brooke Burghardt (National Dance Society Conference); Erin Coffman (Springboard NYC); Brian Klose (Weston Playhouse); Rachel Treglia, Abbey Wark, & Shannon Lawn (USITT Conference); Maggie Campbell (commedia dell'arte research)

2016 - Kaitlyn Fowler (Shakespeare Academy); Nate Krimmel (Neighborhood Playhouse); Reilly Cox (playwrighting retreat); Erin Coffman (Tennessee Williams research); Anna Baldwin (Bearded Ladies); Leslie Rothstein, Cole Capobianco, Alex Foxwell, Brian Klose, & Andrew Huelskoetter (USITT Conference)

2015 - Matt Ridge (NYC auditions); Cole Capobianco (Bearded Ladies)

Actress Mary Martin had that special ability to take a part and make it her own. The mention of her name brings to mind a particularly vivid set of images: Ensign Nellie Forbush washing that man right out-a her hair, Dolly Winslow—whose heart belongs to Daddy—shedding her furs, and Peter Pan teaching the Darling children to fly and to crow: er-er-er-errrh!

Since her debut singing “When Apples Grow on the Lilac Trees” at a fireman’s ball in Weatherford, Texas, at age 5, Martin brought to life—on stage, screen, television, and radio—a formidable range of characters including Maria in The Sound of Music, for which she won the Tony Award in 1960. Martin also garnered Tony Awards for her work as Peter Pan (1955) and as Annie Oakley in the touring company of Annie Get Your Gun (1948).

The televised version of Peter Pan, only recently re-broadcast to a new generation of fans, also won her the Emmy. Who has not been touched by the captivating Peter? In Martin’s own words, “Never Land is the way I would like real life to be: timeless, free, mischievous, filled with gaiety, tenderness, and magic.”

Among the songs which will forever be associated with Mary Martin is “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” from the 1938 production of Cole Porter’s Leave It to Me, which launched her Broadway career. Later, adding another Dolly to her repertoire in 1965, Martin toured the United States and the world as Dolly Levi in the international touring company of Hello, Dolly!, which included engagements in Okinawa, Korea, Japan, South Vietnam, and London.

Biography from Kennedy Center Honoree site.

2022- Sophia Rooks

2021 - Lyra Abbott

2020 - Caitlin Woods

2019 - Kelly Young & Jackie Dulaff

2018 - John Leslie

2017 - Rosie Alger and Mark Christie

2016 - Kaitlyn Fowler

2015 - Amanda Klute

2014 - Rachel Dilliplane, Val Dunn, Tamayo Kamimura

2013 - Samantha Bitzelberger

2012 - Nina Sharp

2011 - Michael Zurawksi &  Maggie Matthews

2010 - Jessica Blanch

2010 - Margaret Farrell

2009 - Kelsy Long

2008 - Mary Lide

2008 - Aileen Brenner

2007 - Marielle Latrick

2006 - Greg Schaefer

2005 - Heather Holiday

2004 - Matthew Biringer

2003 - Andrew Cowles

2002 - Allison Heishman

2001 - A.J. Rendo

2000 - Mindy A. Beers

1999 - Lindsay Krieg

1999 - Paula Knowles

1998 - Elizabeth Garrott

1997 - Mary Hoffman