Neshaminy Valley Music Theatre (NVMT) awarded scholarship grants totaling $4,000 to two seniors of Neshaminy High School who are planning to study the arts in college this fall. The two recipients from the Class of 2023 are Marlene Moore of Feasterville, and Christopher Simcox of Langhorne. The NVMT scholarships were announced at Neshaminy’s Class of 2023 senior awards night held on May 25th.
Marlene Moore received support from NVMT through the Joseph J. McGlade Memorial Scholarship Fund. She will be attending Millersville University majoring in secondary English education with a minor in theatre.
Her vocational goal is to be a drama teacher in the Neshaminy School District. She notes she would like to be able to impact the lives of children and to use the stage to help build the confidence young people need to be the best versions of themselves.
During high school, Marlene participated in marching band, serving as president, the Wind Ensemble, Indoor Percussion, the Symphony Orchestra, Concert Choir, Women’s Choir, Neshaminy High School Summer Stock, the Drama Department, Tri-M Music Honor Society, serving as secretary, and in the high school’s musical theatre productions. Marlene has a 4.2 GPA, taking honors and advanced placement classes, and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Christopher Simcox received support from NVMT through the Evelyn McClean Memorial Scholarship Fund, named after the founder of the Music Theatre. His vocational goals include performing professionally so that he may, as he notes, shed light on problems that affect the world and to help others grow, learn, and become better humans through theatre and art.
While applying for college admission he was granted 17 auditions at various universities that have specialized programs in theatre and was accepted in at least 11 programs. Christopher will major in musical theatre at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
He has been involved with every Neshaminy High School musical and drama show throughout his high school career, as well as numerous non-scholastic productions, including an off-Broadway production in New York City.
He was a member of the youth chorus in NVMT’s production of The Music Man in 2016. He joins his mother who, as a Neshaminy graduate, also received a NVMT scholarship.
NVMT is a not-for-profit scholarship organization that has offered competitive grants since its founding in 1956 to students graduating from the Neshaminy School District and planning to study the fine or performing arts in college.
The organization mounts an annual musical, the proceeds from which go into a scholarship fund. Generous donors have also contributed to build the fund.
To date, NVMT has awarded more than $169,000 in scholarships to nearly 200 students.
“NVMT’s scholarship grant program has been one of the most positive and rewarding forces behind the success of our theatre group for more than a half century,” stated Tom Urquhart, president of the organization. “While we strive for excellence in our stage productions, it is always with the objective of providing funds for our scholarship grants in order to support deserving young people such as these in their quest to achieve their dreams. We’ve been most proud of our recipients and truly happy to have been able to help them!”
The application process for 2024 scholarships, open to graduating seniors of Neshaminy High School, will be available next spring. NVMT will announce its spring 2024 production later this summer. Auditions will be held in the fall.
For more information on Neshaminy Valley Music Theatre and its scholarship program, visit nvmt.org, or email nvmt@verizon.net or call 215-860-1584.
PHOTO CAPS:
- Marlene Moore
- Christopher Simcox