Thigpen/Lewis Foundation Names Actors to be Mentored

The Lynne Thigpen/Bobo Lewis Foundation, which was created to support, mentor, and educate the next generation of Broadway stars, has chosen 13 young actors with whom to begin its work. Lewis, who won a Drama Desk Award for Working, died in 1998; Thigpen, who won a Tony Award for An American Daughter, died in 2003.

Following an extensive audition process at Pat McCorkle Casting Associates, the actors who have been selected for this honor are Aimée DeShayes (Carnegie Mellon University), Fri Forjindam (Columbia University), Oliver Henzler (Columbia University), Leah Lawrence (Columbia University), Aole T. Miller (Tisch School of the Arts), Keith Arthur Bolden (University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana), Marc Santa Maria (St. Olaf College), Markus Potter (Columbia University), Brian Belcinski (Central Connecticut State University), Claire Winters (American Conservatory Theatre at Harvard), Riddick Marie (Columbia University), Liz Ann Morton (University of Evansville), and Eve Reinhardt (Carnegie-Mellon University).

These actors will be introduced at a June 7 champagne benefit performance of Cheryl West’s new play Birdie Blue, which stars S. Epatha Merkerson, Charles Weldon, and Billy Porter. Tickets for this performance are available to the general public.