THE  THOMAS  BARBOUR  MEMORIAL  ​SCHOLARSHIPS  &  AWARDS  PROGRAM

The Thomas Barbour Scholarships Program

The Episcopal Actors' Guild's Scholarships Program was established in 1968 to recognize excellence in those studying the performing arts. In 2004, the program was named in honor of EAG member, benefactor and actor Mr. Thomas Barbour.

Currently, EAG awards six annual scholarships. Five of these are given to students at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. The sixth, The George C. Scott Memorial Scholarship, is presented to a student studying Theatre Arts at the University of Missouri. Additionally, The Claire Strakosch Scholarship, currently endowed by the Margaret G. Plumb Irrevocable Trust, is given periodically to students in theatre programs. 

Jennifer Fouché, AADA Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to our 2019 Scholarship Winners from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts:
​Paulina Lalanne, Gabriela Malan, Coral Mizrachi, Chloe Noble, and Gabrielle Scott. 
Due to the pandemic, AADA scholarships were not awarded in 2020 or 2021. EAG is in touch with faculty and administrators AADA as they determine the best way to move forward post-COVID. When they do select recipients for our scholarships, we are ready to make these awards recognizing excellence in those studying the performing arts.

Congratulations to the 2021 Winner of The George C.Scott Memorial Scholarship: Joel Rodriguez.  

Secure donations can be made to any of these scholarships by clicking here or by calling 212-685-2927.

The Thomas Barbour Playwrights Award

at The Barbour Award was created in 2007 to celebrate new work for the theatre. Each year, EAG partners with a local theatre company, collective, or playwriting program to present staged readings of three new plays, with one writer being awarded a prize of $500.

EAG's partner for the 15th Annual Thomas Barbour Playwrights Award is Playwrights Gallery! Playwrights Gallery (Deborah Savadge, Literary Manager) was founded in 1991 to nourish the work of emerging New York City playwrights. 

"Some of us had the honor of knowing Mr. Barbour," notes Savadge. "We are looking forward to working with the lovely, supportive members of the EAG."

In June 2022, they'll be at Guild Hall presenting three new works developed during Covid that have never had live, in-person, on-stage readings before a theatre-savvy audience.

Past Barbour Playwrights Award Winners:
2008 - Jack Frankel, Human Voices (Polaris North)
2009 - Alisha Silver, Golden (Hunter College)
2010 - (tie) Lynn Rosen, Apple Cove, and 
Laura Eason, 40 Days (Women’s Project)
2011 - Ian August, Donna Orbits the Moon (NJ Rep)
2012 - Aaron Jafferis, How to Break (HERE)
2013 - Bill Cosgriff, Rio Rita (ARTC)
2014 - Mark Karafin, Man in the Moon (Oberon Theatre Ensemble)
2015 - Dara O’Brien, Early Sunday Morning (Resonance Ensemble)
2016 - Perry Guzzi, Across the Way (HB Studios)
2017 - Andrea J. Fulton, A Punk or A Gentleman (Theater for a  New City)
2018 - Alexis Roblan, The Andrew Play (New Perspectives Theatre Company)
2019 - Reynaldo Piniella, Black Doves (Quick Silver Theater Company) 
2020 - the award was split between all three finalists (Leviathan Lab)
2021 - Garrett David Kim, Are You There Truman? (Leviathan Lab)

If you represent a local theatre company that fosters new work or a playwriting program/collective and you are interesting in the possibility of partnering with EAG for The Barbour Award, please contact EAG's Assistant Director Rebecca Lovett (rebecca@actorsguild.org). At this time, we cannot partner with individual playwrights or accept direct submissions of plays for consideration for The Barbour Award.

The Barbour Award was established and endowed by Janet Barbour Carhart, Alison Barbour Fox, and from a portion of the gift left to EAG by Mr. Thomas Barbour’s estate.

Open Stage Space Grant

EAG takes pride in our ongoing effort to find new ways to support New York’s performing arts community. Understanding how challenging it is for emerging theatre companies to find affordable space for creating work, we are proud to offer the Open Stage Grant.

Through this program, an active and emerging NYC theatre company is chosen to receive six (6) weeks, eight (8) hours per week of free time in our historic theatre space at Guild Hall (1 East 29th Street, NYC 10016). With this time, the recipient will be able to develop, devise, and rehearse a work of their choosing. The grant period ends with 4-8 ticketed public performances, with proceeds being split evenly between the grant recipient and the charitable programs of EAG.
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​Through Open Stage, EAG is also able to provide grantees with limited funding for some specific line items in their production budgets.

Past Open Stage Recipients
Winter 2017 - Project Y Theatre Company, Landmarks & TRANSformations
Winter 2018 - Athena Theatre Company, Tragic Greek Sitcom
Summer 2018 -  Quick Silver Theater Company, Albino Deer
Winter 2019 - Theater in Asylum, Totally Wholesome Foods
Summer 2019 - Ripple Effect Artists, 2071: The World We'll Leave Our Grandchildren
Winter 2020 - Resolve Productions, Marrow
Spring 2022 (Summer 2020) - Katharine Pettit Creative, Untitled Girl Narrative

EAG's Open Stage space grant program is supported by the Teri Black Performance Fund, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of  Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

The Open Stage application period for Summer 2022/Winter 2023 has closed.
​Please check back in early 2023 for the application for our Summer 2023 and Winter 2024 grants.

Scholarships & Awards ELIGIBILITY

Our scholarships are decided by the faculty of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the University of Missouri.  If you are a student enrolled in one of these schools, please contact the administrative offices for further information.

If your theatre company would like to be considered as a partner in a future Barbour Playwrights Award or Open Stage Grant, contact Rebecca Lovett at 212-685-2927 or rebecca@actorsguild.org.