Ten theatre students have been selected to participate in this year's Cody Renard Richard Scholarship Program. Broadway Advocacy Coalition and Broadway producer and stage manager Cody Renard Richard (Thoughts of a Colored Man), who collaborate on the program, have awarded $100,000 to the 2023 cohort.
Recipients this year include Héctor Alvarez (California Institute of the Arts), Isaiah Boozer (DePaul University), Kairo Chin (University of California, Santa Cruz), Talia Escobedo (Columbia University), J.D. Hopper (Carnegie Mellon University), Caylah Johnson (DePaul University), Anaya Matthews (The New School), Xotchil Musser (Carnegie Mellon University), Sam Allen (University of California Irvine), and Adam Wassilchalk (Yale College).
Each student will receive a $10,000 grant in addition to mentorship, netwroking opportunities, and an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to experience the city's theatre in person. The program's mission is to uplift and support the next generation of theatre professionals of color.
“It’s wild to believe that we are embarking on our third year of the program” said Richard in a statement. “Each year I’m reminded of how powerful these young individuals are and how much spaces like these are needed.”
Richard served on this year’s selection committee alongside Lawrence Bennett, Jhanaë Bonnick, Dria Brown, Yang-Yang Chen, Ann James, Zhailon Levingston, Tina McCartney, Laurie Woolery, and Nzinga Williams. Lani Fu will serve as program manager.
Broadway Advocacy Coalition’s Co Director of Programming Dria Brown said, “It takes a village to make this happen and we are grateful for Cody’s continued commitment to this incredible vision.”
The program is supported by the Seller-Lehrer Family Foundation as well as The Miranda Family Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, Jujamcyn Theaters, Tiger Baron Foundation, Stacey Mindich, The Theater Leadership Project, Kevin McCollum, Tommy Kail, Junkyard Dogs, Jenny Steingart, and Jill Furman. The Seller Lehrer Family Foundation serves as lead sponsor.
Visit CRRScholarship.com.
