Grant Program for Underserved Schools Renewed with Tams-Witmark Sponsorship

Based on the success of the inaugural year of the New Troupe Charter Grant program, the Educational Theatre Association is pleased to announce that Tams-Witmark Music Library will again underwrite the program in 2017-18 school year.

The New Troupe Charter Grants program awards grants to qualifying schools to fund the charter of an International Thespian Society troupe and the induction of up to 10 students. Qualifications include a school-wide Title I designation and the production of at least one show per year for the two school years preceding the year of the grant application.

The International Thespian Society (ITS), a program of the Educational Theatre Association, is an honorary organization for high school and middle school theatre students located at more than 4,600 affiliated secondary schools across the U.S., Canada, and abroad. Students inducted into the Honor Society are eligible for leadership opportunities, college scholarships, and invitations to perform and compete at state and national venues. Since its founding in 1929, the society has inducted more than 2.2 million students.

Since the grant program's launch in September, 2016 grants have been awarded to charter 16 troupes involving more than 200 students in 10 states.

The schools that received New Troupe Charter Grants this school year are:

Alabama: W. P. Davidson High School, Mobile

California: Arroyo Valley High School, San Bernardino; Jurupa Hills High School, Fontana; MIra Monte High School, Bakersfield;

Illinois: Frankfort Community High School, West Frankfort

Iowa: Cora B. Darling Elementary/Middle School, Postville

Kentucky: Russell County High School, Russell Springs; Western Middle School for the Arts Louisville; Leslie County High School, Hyden

Louisiana: Delhi Charter School, Delhi;

New Mexico: Valencia High School, Los Lunas

Oklahoma: Harding Fine Arts Academy, Oklahoma City

Ohio: Girard High School, Girard

Texas: Blue Ridge High School, Blue Ridge; Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Senior High School, Houston; Alvin J. Briesemeister Middle School, Seguin

Tams-Witmark has been a leader in theatrical licensing for over 90 years, and represents some of the most celebrated titles in musical theatre. Thousands of schools, community theatres and professional organizations present Tams-Witmark musicals each year.

Sargent Aborn, the President of Tams-Witmark said, "It is gratifying to know that in a year we have already helped shape the lives of more than 200 students through this program by enriching their school theatre experience with induction into the International Thepian Society. We wish each and every one of them well throughout their school careers and the rest of their lives."

Julie Cohen Theobald, executive director of EdTA said, "These grants enable students in underserved schools to experience the excitement and pride that comes from having the value of their work as theatre students affirmed. We are deeply grateful to Tams-Witmark for pioneering this effort with us."

Cincinnati-based Successful Products has joined in sponsoring this program by providing complimentary ITS T-shirts for the newly inducted Thespians.

About Tams-Witmark Music Library

Tams-Witmark Music Library licenses the performance rights for over 150 works of musical theatre, including some of the best-known titles from Broadway. Tams-Witmark takes great pride in working closely with our customers, both amateurs and professionals, to provide them with performance rights, high quality scripts, scores and orchestrations. For more information please contact: Tams-Witmark Music Library, 560 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022, tamswitmark.com, 800 -221-7196.

About the Educational Theatre Association

The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), is a professional organization with approximately 100,000 members nationwide. EdTA's mission is shaping lives through theatre education: honoring student achievement in theatre and enriching their theatre education experience; supporting teachers by providing professional development, resources, and recognition; and influencing public opinion that theatre education is essential and builds life skills. EdTA operates the International Thespian Society (ITS), an honorary organization that has inducted more than 2.2 million theatre students since its founding in 1929. EdTA also publishes Dramatics, a monthly magazine for high school theatre students, and Teaching Theatre, a quarterly journal for theatre education professionals.

About the International Thespian Society

The International Thespian Society (ITS) is an honorary organization for high school and middle school theatre students located at more than four thousand affiliated secondary schools across America, Canada, and abroad. The mission of ITS is to honor student achievement in the theatre arts. ITS is a program of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA).

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