The American Theatre Wing Reveals 2024 Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative Recipients

The 2024 recipients of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative’s programming, including the Training Scholarships, Stewart F. Lane Fellowship, and the Classroom Resources Grants, have been revealed. These scholarships and grants represent the Wing’s most rigorous investment in direct support for underserved public school students demonstrating exceptional talent and economic need to continue their study of theatre. 

Through the program’s scholarships, the American Theatre Wing looks to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, creating a strong pipeline to the professional theatre for promising artists of all backgrounds. The awarded student’s area of focus can be performance, design, writing, stage management, or any other aspect of theatre.

The Training Scholarship is available for public middle and high school students who demonstrate talent and ability in the theatre arts but have a lack of resources to receive high level training prior to college. These scholarships can be used for Private or Group Voice, Dance, or Music lessons; theatre training programs that stand alone or are housed in professional theatre settings; theatre training camps; or special training opportunities. The 2024 recipients of the Training Scholarships are: Chaise Anderson of Pennsylvania, who attended Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard; Ethan Antoine of Florida, who attended New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts; Alec Avila of Florida, who attended Norwalk Conservatory; Lauren Bazan of Texas, who attended University of North Carolina School of the Arts; Erin Benedict of Massachusetts, who attended Northwestern NHSI Theatre Arts Division: Stage Management & Design Tech; Mariama Diop of New York, who attended DREAM Summerstock VTC Intensive Sleepaway; Charlie Kahler of Delaware, who attended Norwalk Conservatory; Zayda Martin of Florida, who attended University of Michigan Musical Theatre; Emely Martinez of Washington, D.C., who attended British American Drama Academy; Sara Martínez Ortiz of North Carolina, who attended University of North Carolina School of the Arts Drama Summer Intensive; Cari Mayfield of California, who attended Alonzo King Lines Ballet; Jaida Miller of Florida, who attended Broadway Artist Alliance; Aleyla Morales of Louisiana, who attended Yale Summer Session (Pre-College); Andrea Moreta of Florida, who attended Norwalk Conservatory; Norma Abigail Morrison of Mississippi, who attended Interlochen Center for the Arts Theatre Design & Production Summer Program for High School Students; Maya Mukherji of New York, who attended BroadwayEvolved; Clover Papadogonas of California, who attended New York University Tisch High School Program; Melissa Parra of Maryland, who attended YAA Junior Conservatory Summer Intensive; Amaya Romero of New Jersey, who attended British American Drama Academy; Rihanna Twist of Illinois, who attended Northwestern National High School Institute; Farida Wahby of New Jersey, who attended New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts; Zavion Watkins of Washington, D.C., who attended British American Drama Academy; Jaylon Williams of Louisiana, who attended Norwalk Conservatory; and Zion Wyatt of Tennessee, who attended Interlochen Center for the Arts. 

The recipients of the 2024 Stewart F. Lane Fellowship for Career Advancement – an award of $10,000 presented each year to a graduating college senior who is selected based on their potential to make a positive, long-lasting contribution to the theatre industry – are Julia Schick, of University of Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music, and Rafael Bryant, of New York University – Tisch School of the Arts.
Julia’s academic career consists of voice, dance, and acting training and served as a leader of a student-led theatre organization to uplift underrepresented voices in theatre. Julia’s professional credits include After Pinocchio: A New Musical (Yaya Theatre Company) and Rent and Guys & Dolls (The Carnegie Theater) to name a few.  Rafael Bryant received a BFA in Drama and his academic career consists of performing in numerous plays, including Shakespeare, in addition to other plays and TV/Film projects. His training also includes Lee Strasberg Theater and Film, The Meisner Studio, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the Experimental Theatre Wing. 

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative’s Classroom Resources Grants are awarded to individual public K-12 schools, in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, or non-profit parent group associated with that K-12 school. This grant program directly funds under-resourced public schools, to provide lighting and sound equipment, sewing machines for costume making, curtains, and other necessary materials to help create and enhance existing theatre programs. Grant requests of up to $50,000 are considered, allowing the American Theatre Wing to extend meaningful resources to multiple deserving schools each year. The 2023-2024 school year Classroom Resources Grants recipients are: Alfred Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School (Kenner, LA), All City Leadership Secondary School [32K554] (Brooklyn, NY), Boston Adult Technical Academy (Boston, MA), Deer Valley High School (Antioch, CA), DLBE @MKES (Mt Kisco, NY), Grove Middle School (Grove, OK), High School Ahead Academy Middle School (Houston, TX), Immokalee High School (Immokalee, FL), James B. Dudley High School (Greensboro, NC), John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science (Roxbury, MA), Progress Village Middle Magnet School for the Arts (Tampa, FL), Silverado High School (Las Vegas, NV), and Spain Elementary Middle School (Detroit, MI). 

The University Scholarship grants, an integral part of the ALWI program, shifted the annual submission deadline to best accommodate student application schedules. The grants will therefore be reflected as part of the 2025 program.