Scholarships for theatre education students

Edmonds, WA – April 6, 2026 – Edmonds Driftwood Players is a volunteer-based nonprofit community theatre that produces entertaining and engaging live theatre, connects the community through volunteerism, and fosters learning and growth through education. Starting in 1958, EDP is one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in Washington State.

Edmonds Driftwood Players is pleased to offer an annual scholarship program each Spring to deserving students interested in pursuing theatre education. Scholarships may be used toward tuition at any college, university or technical school in the United States.

Eligible students may apply for the scholarship program and be considered for all of the following 2026 scholarships with a single application:

$1,000 Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre Scholarship

• The Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre Scholarship honors a longtime member who spent many hours designing and/or building sets and was EDP’s volunteer Technical Director for many years. It was created by his loving wife, Judy Anne Eaton, a longtime EDP member and volunteer. Students pursuing technical degrees will receive priority for the Ralph Eaton Technical Theatre scholarship.

$1,000 Theatre Arts Scholarship

• The Theatre Arts Scholarship has been a long-standing award established in 1988.

$1,000 AC & Norma Gehrig Scholarship

• The AC & Norma Gehrig Scholarship was created by longtime EDP member, volunteer, past board director and office manager, Keith Gehrig to honor his parents.

Application Deadline: June 7, 2026 (by 11:59pm PST)

Submit via email to Office@EdmondsDriftwoodPlayers.org

Student Eligibility Rules:

• Be a graduating high school senior or currently attending college.
• Have a permanent residence (usually where their parents/guardians live) in Snohomish, King or surrounding counties.
• Have demonstrated interest and consistent participation in the theatrical/technical arts and intend to pursue further education in theatre arts (performance or technical) in a college, university or technical school.
• Be willing to give permission to use name/likeness in promotional materials.
• There is no limit on the number of years a student can apply during their college attendance. All application materials must be original and not reused from previous years.

Applicants are required to submit the following documentation for consideration:

• Applicant name, current address, phone number, and email address (if applicant is a minor, parents/guardian name(s) and address(s) are also required).
• Name of your current school
• Intended college/university/technical school for Fall of 2026
• A list/resume of shows (noting role or production position) in which you have participated.
• A letter of recommendation from a drama teacher or another theatre mentor (please provide the reference’s name if their recommendation is sent separately).
• An essay of 300-500 words about what attracts you to involvement in the theatre arts and how you intend to make it part of your future. Essays must be written without the help of AI tools.
• A list of high school, college, community, or professional extracurricular activities, and any awards or honors received.
• Transcripts (unofficial are acceptable) of grades, including the 1st semester of senior year of high school or latest quarter/semester of college. Registrars can send transcripts to Office@EdmondsDriftwoodPlayers.org

Recipients will be selected through an evaluation of the above information as to content, presentation, and completeness. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for awards. It is recommended to submit all required documents at the same time, as a full application packet. 

If your school or mentor would like to submit documents directly to EDP, that is acceptable as long as we receive them by the application deadline. We will not be able to follow up with individuals regarding missing pieces of their application packets.

2026 scholarship details can also be found here