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Local Voices

YOUTH THEATRE SCHOLARSHIP $4,000 GOAL HAS A DEADLINE

Stoneham Theatre has kept a promise since its doors opened in 2000. “We will never turn a child away due to financial need,” says Debra Rafson, Managing Director. To keep this promise, the theatre is turning to the community for gifts of any size to raise $4000 for Fund-A-Need, a scholarship fund to support tuition for children who otherwise could not afford to attend after school and summer programs at Stoneham Theatre. Fund-A-Need recipients participate in the young company, Stoneham Theatre’s theatrical training program which offers classes in acting, voice, dance, and seasonal festivals with multiple performance opportunities. Less than 20 days remain to donate on the popular crowd funder site indiegogo.com.

Last year, with many local individuals and businesses donating, Stoneham Theatre provided $15,000 in Fund-A-Need scholarship support for children in grades 1-12. Rafson explains, “We get letters from parents who are suddenly laid off, or have expensive medical burdens, and after school theatre all of sudden becomes inaccessible. To reach $4000, we need people from our community to get behind this promise, to make sure we can share our wonderful programs with the families who ask for help. These are children from Stoneham, Malden, Melrose, Woburn, Wakefield, and many other local towns.”

To help Stoneham Theatre reach their online campaign goal, visit http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/young-company-at-stoneham-theatre-fund-a-need-scholarships to watch an inspiring young company video and to make a donation to support Fund-A-Need Scholarships.

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