Heather Contente and Sarah Pothier Share 2010 Larry Reedy Scholarship Award

Heather Contente accepts 2010 Larry Reedy Scholarship Award at The Community Players' annual meeting in June. Not pictured: Sarah Pothier, who was touring with Kaleidoscope Theatre on the evening of the awards.

Two recent East Providence High School graduates have each been awarded $1000 in financial assistance from The Community Players' Larry Reedy Scholarship Fund to further their studies in the performing arts. This year's recipients are Heather Contente and Sarah Pothier. Both young women have a long history with The Community Players.

Heather has performed in our productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, La Cage aux Folles Gypsy, The Music Man and Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as productions with RISE. In addition to her onstage work, she is an accomplished pianist, and talented tennis player. Heather will be attending Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, pursuing a career in the performing arts and music therapy.

Sarah Pothier has also been featured in several Community Players' musicals, most recently in A Chorus Line and Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as performing at Theatre by the Sea and with Kaleidoscope Theatre (with whom she was touring on the night of the scholarship award ceremony). In addition to her vocal talents, she has studied ballet, tap and jazz for the past 15 years. Sarah plans to study musical theatre at Rhode Island College beginning in September.

Initially established in 1985 with funds donated by former president Larry Reedy, scholarships are awarded annually to a Blackstone Valley graduating senior who is pursuing an education in the performing arts. Awards are based on talent and ability, academic status and financial need. Ongoing funding is made possible by audience donations to hospitality and other fundraisers during Community Players' performances. To date, The Community Players have awarded more than $30,000 in scholarship funds to deserving students.

Established in 1985 with funds donated by past-President Larry Reedy, each year The Community Players award a scholarship to a Blackstone Valley student who is furthering his or her education in the performing arts.

This year, in honor of the 25th anniversary of our award, the scholarship has officially been named after Larry Reedy, and for the first time is valued at $2500.

Our 2009 scholarship recipient is Dalita Getzoyan, a recent graduate of Lincoln High School. An accomplished flutist and actress, Dalita is attending the University of New Hampshire, majoring in music and psychology, with the goal of becoming a music therapist. In addition to her outstanding academic record, Dalita has participated in the Rhode Island Solo and Ensemble Festival , ranked among the top twenty flutists at the RI All-State Music Festival last year, and has been a member of Lincoln High School’s Concert, Pep and Jazz Bands for the past four years. She has performed at Roger Williams Park Zoo as a “Wild Bunch” performer, studied theatre at PPAC’s Camp Broadway for four years, choreographed Schoolhouse Rock at All Children’s Theatre, played Gabriella in Lincoln’s High School Musical and was featured in our productions of La Cage aux Folles and Gypsy.

The Larry Reedy Scholarship is awarded on the basis of talent and ability, academic status and financial need. Proceeds from concessions during our productions throughout the season go toward sustaining the fund. To date more than $28,000 in scholarship funds have been awarded to deserving students.