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The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund (PAF) is delighted to announce that this year's Training in Musical Theatre scheme has awarded £150,000 to 35 aspiring musical theatre performers for help with their tuition fees.

Training to be a musical theatre performer can be very expensive with many vocational courses charging over £10,000 per year. With living expenses on top of this, a three-year training course can make for an eye-watering, and in some cases a prohibitive, figure.

For the most talented students, the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund Training in Musical Theatre scheme tries to help bridge the gap in students' and their families' financial resources, championing excellence where there's a funding gap.

All applicants had to be able to demonstrate that being awarded a bursary would enable them to undergo training that they might not otherwise have afforded.

Applicants to the bursary were asked to apply online, where their applications were assessed anonymously by a panel of industry judges. From more than 500 applicants, 142 were invited to attend a week of auditions in London at the end of July. The PAF's four judges saw each person sing and then gave second auditions to the most impressive performers.

Panel judges this year were Pippa Ailion, David Grindrod, Mary King and Trevor Jackson.

David Grindrod, PAF panel judge, British theatre and film casting director, said: "I was delighted to be asked to be part of the audition panel for this year's funding awards.

"One never thought of the strong bond which has now been achieved between TV reality casting and musical theatre when we started How Do You Solve A Problem like Maria.

"Those people who stood in the wind and rain for hours to audition for our past shows, but were unsuccessful, now have the chance to obtain money to go towards training within the arts.

"I do hope the public realise that their vote on these shows does help to fulfil a dream and hopefully find our new talent for the future."

Miriam O'Keeffe, Project Manager of the Performing Arts Fund, said: "We are delighted to be able to help so many talented and hard-working students with their training.

"The standard was incredibly high this year and we hope that our contribution will enable these performers to go on to achieve their dreams of becoming professional musical theatre performers."

As well as receiving funding, this year's winners will undergo a weekend of workshops and master classes from West End professionals in association with the Musicians Benevolent Fund.

Notes to Editors

The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund helps aspiring music-makers and performers looking for a way to get ahead.

The Training in Musical Theatre scheme is designed for applicants with talent and motivation who really need our financial support to help pay their tuition fees whilst studying Musical Theatre.

The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund is a registered charity, number 1101276. The charity was set up in 2003 within the Ö÷²¥´óÐã.

The Musicians Benevolent Fund awards funding to outstandingly talented musical theatre students through the Ian Fleming Musical Theatre Awards.

Awards are made to outstanding musical theatre performers to help with full-time postgraduate or the final year of undergraduate musical theatre study costs. In 2009, 12 students were awarded a total of nearly £30,000.

Meet some of the 2009 winners

Tom Stephenson
£4,500 bursary awarded for course fees
London School of Musical Theatre

"I am on the verge of beginning my training at London School of Musical Theatre, an experience that would not have been possible without this support from the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund. I have always had a passion for Musical Theatre and in turn LSMT so I am delighted to be able to take up my place. The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund is a fantastic scheme that aids the development of young performers so when I found out that I would be receiving this money I was over the moon. Next year is going to be a very intense programme, one of which I will dive head first into. Thanks again to the Ö÷²¥´óÐã."

Francesca Berlin
£6,000 awarded for course fees
Mountview

"Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have received this grant as it means that I can enter into my second year of training. I can assure the Ö÷²¥´óÐã that I am going to make the most of the opportunity that I have been given. I am so passionate about musical theatre and I am happy that the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund will facilitate my going forward with my training."

Mikel Bryan-Taylor
£3,000 awarded for course fees
Guildford School of Acting

"I still can't believe it's true… I am now able to accept my place at the Guildford School of Acting on their MA Musical Theatre course. This news has taken me by surprise, not to mention completely overwhelmed me. On the day of auditions I was saying how much I enjoyed the day as the audition panel and Ö÷²¥´óÐã staff were so nice to everyone."

Amana Jones
£8,000 awarded for course fees
Arts Educational Schools London

"I feel so fortunate to have had this support from the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Performing Arts Fund as without it I wouldn't have been able to continue working towards my ambition of being in the West End and more! I am so grateful to the Performing Arts Fund and I think it is a great idea because it helps make young performers' dreams possible. Thank you so much!"

KT