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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Charlotte, NC Permit No. 3036
SPARK T
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R
IE
S September 2019
Emily Harris from Stuart W. Cramer High School worked on the costume designs for her school’s production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown – one of 47 high schools that participated in the 2019 Blumey Awards. Harris graduated in June.
In this edition of SPARK Stories, learn how we are living our mission by helping a student – an aspiring costume designer – realize her dreams.
To present the best in the performing arts and in partnership with others, share and employ the arts as a major catalyst to strengthen education, build community cohesiveness and advance economic growth.
OUR MISSION
130 N. Tryon St. | Charlotte, NC 28202-2100
IGNITING OPPORTUNITY
"I’ll actually be able to pay for college!" EMILY HARRIS
T
RECIPIENT OF THE MARY DOCTOR PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
he timing couldn’t have been better. Onstage, surrounded by theater students from four different high schools following a countywide International Thespian Society event, Emily Harris received thrilling news from her teacher: she had been selected for the 2019 Mary Doctor Performing Arts Scholarship – a $10,000 annually renewable scholarship awarded to students in the Charlotte region pursuing studies in theater arts. It was a life-changing moment: “I’ll actually be able to pay for college!’” Harris exclaimed. The scholarship helps cover the cost of tuition, housing and other fees at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where Harris is pursuing a bachelor’s in fine arts degree in costume design and technology. Continued on Page 2
costume design than health sciences. She switched her coursework and enrolled in an advanced studies class to immerse herself in the process of researching, designing and building costumes for Charlie Brown. “For me, art is a great form of expression. There’s so much you can do with art that people don’t realize,” says Harris. “I could do an art piece that could change the way people are thinking in a way that words or other things like science cannot. It’s its own brand of amazing.” For other young people with big dreams in theater, Harris says the best way to start is with something small. Get involved with community theater, MAKER work with DIFFERENCE kids, whatever you can do. “Just continue. Keep working,” says Harris. “Even if you fail – because everyone will fail and it’s actually good to fail because you learn from it. Do whatever you can for your art because in the end it will pay off.”
CONG R A T U L A T I ON S TO ALL OF OUR 2019 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Ma ry Doc tor Scholarship
Emily Ha rris
Gord on Hay Scholarship
Bet ha ny H
A mi l Broth ers
Spirit of Service Scholarship
ouston
Caitl yn Brown
A FAMILY PASSION YOUR GIFTS CHANGE LIVES
Da nie lle Va nasse
Loonis McGlohon Young Jazz Artist Compe tition
Jeffrey Hay Brings Opportunity to Others With the Help of the Arts
Through the generosity of our donors, we provide more than 20 educational programs for area students, including these college scholarships.
MARY DOCTOR SCHOLARSHIP By Liz Rothaus Bertrand 1st Pla ce
From left, Daniel Peirano, Cait lyn Brown, Talia Buk sbazen, Alex is Sim pson and Arel la Flur.
Rola nd Burnot
2nd Pl ace
M att he w Fi nle y
3rd Pla ce
Lovell Bra dford
Continued from Page 1
She realized her senior year, “The only way I would go into college (at UNCSA) would be if I got a full ride ... and they don’t give a full ride.” Harris, who graduated in June from Stuart W. Cramer High School in Belmont, received back-to-back Technical Achievement Blumey Awards for her outstanding costume design work on the school’s productions of Cinderella (2018) and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (2019). She also led the team of more than 40 students who took home the 2019 Blumey Award for best costume creation. That kind of recognition is rare and important for students like Harris, who work behind the scenes. “We don’t get our time on stage or our final bow like performers, so (The Blumey Awards are) our time to show people how much time we’ve put into our work and how hard we truly work,” she says. Her earliest memories of theater start around age 5, performing at the Carolina Renaissance Festival, where her mom, Angela Harris, oversaw the children’s troupe for several seasons. Later, when Angela landed a job in the costume shop of Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Harris and her older sister would tag along and hand-sew small projects while their mother worked.
“My hope is for this scholarship to encourage those with a special talent to keep the arts alive and to never have them fade away.” MARY DOCTOR
FOUNDER OF THE MARY DOCTOR PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
At home, too, she practiced designing and constructing projects. “I learned how to costume from my mother,” says Harris. For years, theater and costuming were just hobbies as Harris envisioned a career as a pediatric surgeon. She enrolled in health sciences courses as part of the Career and Technical Education program at Stuart W. Cramer and was one of only 10 students selected for the competitive Nursing Fundamentals class her senior year. It would have enabled her to graduate high school as a certified nursing assistant. By October, she realized she was far more passionate about sewing and
I
• $10,000 scholarship, renewableCommunications annually. Specialist • Two Charlotte-region recipients eachnyear. life, as in the theater world, certain key individuals work • In honor of business owner Mary Doctor, a supporter of youngtopeople. diligently behind-the-scenes make dreams possible.
Attorney Jeffrey Hay, a partner at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, and a member of Blumenthal Performing Arts’ board • $5,000 merit-based scholarship.of trustees, is one of them. A family man (he’s dad to five kids rang• Awarded annually to one exceptional Charlotte ing in age from 4 toregion 28) andstudent. a generous contributor of his time and support toabout multiple organizations, he’s more accustomed • In memory of Gordon Hay, whofinancial was passionate transformational change. to putting others, rather than himself, in the spotlight. That made the Dec. 4 announcement of his induction into The Order of the Long Leaf Pine an even more remarkable moment. The induction is North Carolina’s highest honor – recognizing those who have “demonstrated exemplary service or made an exceptional contribution to the state or their communities.” Hay says he was floored when Gov. Pat JEFFREY HAY surprised him at the annual holiday McCrory FOUNDER OF THE GORDON HAY SCHOLARSHIP OF HISAmerican BROTHER Business luncheon IN ofHONOR the British Hay Council of North Carolina, an organization that promotes bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and the SPIRIT OF SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD United States. • Provides financial support for a deserving student’s college education. “It was one of the most overwhelming experiences I’ve ever • Established to encourage student commitment to higher education. had,” says Hay, who is finishing a three-year term as the BABCNC • Funded through gifts honoring chapter’s individuals who have served Blumenthal president. Hay works with companies from all over the world in his law Performing Arts as Junior Ambassadors. practice but says he has a special affinity for the British people and their culture. HisCOMPETITION appointment to Blumenthal Performing Arts’ LOONIS McGLOHON YOUNG JAZZ ARTIST of trustees wasJazz a natural extension of his interest in promot• Awarded to top three in Loonis board McGlohon Young Artist Competition ingwinners’ cross-cultural with our friends across the pond, since • Provides funding to enhance the musicexchange education. the Blumenthal has a special relationship with Britain as well. • Created by The Leon Levine Foundation and Blumenthal Performing Arts in “I think Blumenthal has invested in over 20 British theater prohonor of Charlotte music legendductions,” and visionary Loonis says Hay. “It wasMcGlohon. a really interesting and neat tie in.” (Fun fact: Blumenthal’s first of six Tony Awards came out of one of these British endeavors, as a producer of the hit musical Spamalot.) For Hay, trying to create opportunities for others is a driving force for his professional and volunteer activities. “A lot of that is focused on young people and kids,” says Hay, “but in my business life, I spend a lot of time trying to create opportunities for clients. I think that really translates into my service for organizations.” Hay says Blumenthal Performing Arts serves as an economic region, workers, $100 will allow two engine kids tofor seethetheir firstattracting Broadway show.companies and tourists seeking a for vibrant city groups with a dynamic artsaand cultural life. For $250 will offset the cost of transportation school to attend performance. him, Blumenthal’s efforts to engage our diverse community $500 will provide a musical kit and an unforgettable experience for an entire class. in the
GORDON HAY SCHOLARSHIPS
“My brother believed passion and fire from within was the catalyst for transformational change and exceptional results. We see these same ideals, passion and fire in those students who have been recipients of this special scholarship.”
HELP US INSPIRE MORE KIDS Make a gift today: Blumenthalarts.org/support-us
Go Th
ar es
wh th re pe m te
Br op to liv
m an lea th in
fin op co vid co
sc an hi th tu
Ch th lo an
BLUMENTHALAR
costume design than health sciences. She switched her coursework and enrolled in an advanced studies class to immerse herself in the process of researching, designing and building costumes for Charlie Brown. “For me, art is a great form of expression. There’s so much you can do with art that people don’t realize,” says Harris. “I could do an art piece that could change the way people are thinking in a way that words or other things like science cannot. It’s its own brand of amazing.” For other young people with big dreams in theater, Harris says the best way to start is with something small. Get involved with community theater, MAKER work with DIFFERENCE kids, whatever you can do. “Just continue. Keep working,” says Harris. “Even if you fail – because everyone will fail and it’s actually good to fail because you learn from it. Do whatever you can for your art because in the end it will pay off.”
CONG R A T U L A T I ON S TO ALL OF OUR 2019 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Ma ry Doc tor Scholarship
Emily Ha rris
Gord on Hay Scholarship
Bet ha ny H
A mi l Broth ers
Spirit of Service Scholarship
ouston
Caitl yn Brown
A FAMILY PASSION YOUR GIFTS CHANGE LIVES
Da nie lle Va nasse
Loonis McGlohon Young Jazz Artist Compe tition
Jeffrey Hay Brings Opportunity to Others With the Help of the Arts
Through the generosity of our donors, we provide more than 20 educational programs for area students, including these college scholarships.
MARY DOCTOR SCHOLARSHIP By Liz Rothaus Bertrand 1st Pla ce
From left, Daniel Peirano, Cait lyn Brown, Talia Buk sbazen, Alex is Sim pson and Arel la Flur.
Rola nd Burnot
2nd Pl ace
M att he w Fi nle y
3rd Pla ce
Lovell Bra dford
Continued from Page 1
She realized her senior year, “The only way I would go into college (at UNCSA) would be if I got a full ride ... and they don’t give a full ride.” Harris, who graduated in June from Stuart W. Cramer High School in Belmont, received back-to-back Technical Achievement Blumey Awards for her outstanding costume design work on the school’s productions of Cinderella (2018) and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (2019). She also led the team of more than 40 students who took home the 2019 Blumey Award for best costume creation. That kind of recognition is rare and important for students like Harris, who work behind the scenes. “We don’t get our time on stage or our final bow like performers, so (The Blumey Awards are) our time to show people how much time we’ve put into our work and how hard we truly work,” she says. Her earliest memories of theater start around age 5, performing at the Carolina Renaissance Festival, where her mom, Angela Harris, oversaw the children’s troupe for several seasons. Later, when Angela landed a job in the costume shop of Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Harris and her older sister would tag along and hand-sew small projects while their mother worked.
“My hope is for this scholarship to encourage those with a special talent to keep the arts alive and to never have them fade away.” MARY DOCTOR
FOUNDER OF THE MARY DOCTOR PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
At home, too, she practiced designing and constructing projects. “I learned how to costume from my mother,” says Harris. For years, theater and costuming were just hobbies as Harris envisioned a career as a pediatric surgeon. She enrolled in health sciences courses as part of the Career and Technical Education program at Stuart W. Cramer and was one of only 10 students selected for the competitive Nursing Fundamentals class her senior year. It would have enabled her to graduate high school as a certified nursing assistant. By October, she realized she was far more passionate about sewing and
I
• $10,000 scholarship, renewableCommunications annually. Specialist • Two Charlotte-region recipients eachnyear. life, as in the theater world, certain key individuals work • In honor of business owner Mary Doctor, a supporter of youngtopeople. diligently behind-the-scenes make dreams possible.
Attorney Jeffrey Hay, a partner at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, and a member of Blumenthal Performing Arts’ board • $5,000 merit-based scholarship.of trustees, is one of them. A family man (he’s dad to five kids rang• Awarded annually to one exceptional Charlotte ing in age from 4 toregion 28) andstudent. a generous contributor of his time and support toabout multiple organizations, he’s more accustomed • In memory of Gordon Hay, whofinancial was passionate transformational change. to putting others, rather than himself, in the spotlight. That made the Dec. 4 announcement of his induction into The Order of the Long Leaf Pine an even more remarkable moment. The induction is North Carolina’s highest honor – recognizing those who have “demonstrated exemplary service or made an exceptional contribution to the state or their communities.” Hay says he was floored when Gov. Pat JEFFREY HAY surprised him at the annual holiday McCrory FOUNDER OF THE GORDON HAY SCHOLARSHIP OF HISAmerican BROTHER Business luncheon IN ofHONOR the British Hay Council of North Carolina, an organization that promotes bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and the SPIRIT OF SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD United States. • Provides financial support for a deserving student’s college education. “It was one of the most overwhelming experiences I’ve ever • Established to encourage student commitment to higher education. had,” says Hay, who is finishing a three-year term as the BABCNC • Funded through gifts honoring chapter’s individuals who have served Blumenthal president. Hay works with companies from all over the world in his law Performing Arts as Junior Ambassadors. practice but says he has a special affinity for the British people and their culture. HisCOMPETITION appointment to Blumenthal Performing Arts’ LOONIS McGLOHON YOUNG JAZZ ARTIST of trustees wasJazz a natural extension of his interest in promot• Awarded to top three in Loonis board McGlohon Young Artist Competition ingwinners’ cross-cultural with our friends across the pond, since • Provides funding to enhance the musicexchange education. the Blumenthal has a special relationship with Britain as well. • Created by The Leon Levine Foundation and Blumenthal Performing Arts in “I think Blumenthal has invested in over 20 British theater prohonor of Charlotte music legendductions,” and visionary Loonis says Hay. “It wasMcGlohon. a really interesting and neat tie in.” (Fun fact: Blumenthal’s first of six Tony Awards came out of one of these British endeavors, as a producer of the hit musical Spamalot.) For Hay, trying to create opportunities for others is a driving force for his professional and volunteer activities. “A lot of that is focused on young people and kids,” says Hay, “but in my business life, I spend a lot of time trying to create opportunities for clients. I think that really translates into my service for organizations.” Hay says Blumenthal Performing Arts serves as an economic region, workers, $100 will allow two engine kids tofor seethetheir firstattracting Broadway show.companies and tourists seeking a for vibrant city groups with a dynamic artsaand cultural life. For $250 will offset the cost of transportation school to attend performance. him, Blumenthal’s efforts to engage our diverse community $500 will provide a musical kit and an unforgettable experience for an entire class. in the
GORDON HAY SCHOLARSHIPS
“My brother believed passion and fire from within was the catalyst for transformational change and exceptional results. We see these same ideals, passion and fire in those students who have been recipients of this special scholarship.”
HELP US INSPIRE MORE KIDS Make a gift today: Blumenthalarts.org/support-us
Go Th
ar es
wh th re pe m te
Br op to liv
m an lea th in
fin op co vid co
sc an hi th tu
Ch th lo an
BLUMENTHALAR
130 N. Tryon St. | Charlotte, NC 28202-2100
SPARK IGNITING OPPORTUNITY
O
R
IE
S
"I’ll actually be able to pay for college!" EMILY HARRIS
RECIPIENT OF THE MARY DOCTOR PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
September 2019
Continued on Page 2
he timing couldn’t have been better. Onstage, surrounded by theater students from four different high schools following a countywide International Thespian Society event, Emily Harris received thrilling news from her teacher: she had been selected for the 2019 Mary Doctor Performing Arts Scholarship – a $10,000 annually renewable scholarship awarded to students in the Charlotte region pursuing studies in theater arts. It was a life-changing moment: “I’ll actually be able to pay for college!’” Harris exclaimed. The scholarship helps cover the cost of tuition, housing and other fees at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where Harris is pursuing a bachelor’s in fine arts degree in costume design and technology.
T
T
OUR MISSION
S
To present the best in the performing arts and in partnership with others, share and employ the arts as a major catalyst to strengthen education, build community cohesiveness and advance economic growth.
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Charlotte, NC Permit No. 3036
In this edition of SPARK Stories, learn how we are living our mission by helping a student – an aspiring costume designer – realize her dreams.
Emily Harris from Stuart W. Cramer High School worked on the costume designs for her school’s production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown – one of 47 high schools that participated in the 2019 Blumey Awards. Harris graduated in June.