CCTC/HJT Receives $12K Donation To Start Scholarship Fund

          Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre (CCTC/HJT) has launched a scholarship fund for young students after receiving a $12,000 anonymous gift. 
           The Curran Scholarship Fund, which kicked off on Oct. 7, is for students 18 and under in financial need. Jenn Pina said when she stepped in as the theater’s producing artistic director in January, she “came in with a commitment to not turning any student away with the inability to pay.”
           “This year we have not turned away any student,” Pina said, noting, however, that providing free classes can present a challenge for an organization with a “very strained operating budget.” 
           So far this year, she said, the theater has awarded 90 full or partial scholarships, totaling $27,939. 
           Previously, “we didn’t have a scholarship fund,” she said. “We just tightened our belts and gave away the classes.” 
           Then came the anonymous donor. 
           “She really did say, ‘I want to help kids with scholarships. Talk to me,’" Pina said. “It was a dream.” 
           The donation and the subsequent scholarship fund will allow the 73-year-old community theater to continue its mission and grow. 
           Pina said it’s important for CCTC/HJT to serve the entire population, to make sure programming is accessible to both year-round families and those who vacation here during the summer. CCTC/HJT awards scholarships during the summer as well, but Pina said there’s something particularly important about making sure CCTC/HJT can keep serving the community year-round. The scholarships help make that possible. 
           “I want everyone who comes through the door to feel like this is their theater, and kids and adults do talk about it that way," Pina said. "There’s a place for everybody here onstage, behind the scenes, ushering, volunteering. These scholarships allow us to keep the doors wide open to anybody of any background regardless of economic circumstance.” 
           Scholarship applicants can visit www.capecodtheatrecompany.org or call 508-433-2202 to speak with Emily Murray, CCTC/HJT director of education and outreach, for more information. Donations also can be made through the theater website, where a donate button offers various options. Donors can also call 508-433-2202 with a credit card or mail a check to P.O. Box 168, West Harwich, MA 02671.