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A grant scheme to help train the musical theatre performers of the future is being launched by the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Performing Arts Fund.

The Training in Musical Theatre scheme helps ambitious and talented students who need financial support to pay their course fees.

A total of £150,000 will be distributed in grants through the scheme, which was formerly known as the Musical Theatre Bursary. Each applicant can apply for a grant of up to £8,000 for an academic year.

Students aged 17 and over on or before 6 April 2009 are eligible to apply to the scheme. They need to have a place, or to be applying for one, on a musical theatre course and be without the means to pay their fees.

It is open to those who are about to start their course or who are part way through their studies.

The grants are for a contribution to college tuition fees and any additional tuition, for example, extra lessons. They do not cover travel costs, headshots, equipment, books, magazines or living expenses, such as rent, mobile phone, food or clothes.

West End star John Barrowman said: "The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Performing Arts Fund is an incredibly valuable asset to the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳. It's great to know the money raised on the shows I am involved with goes to help further music education for young people throughout the UK. Any charity that promotes music education and helps with the fees for those less fortunate will always get my support."

Each application will be considered by the scheme's independent assessors.

Applications open on 6 April and will close on 18 May 2009. Auditions will take place in July in London (venue TBA). The winners will be announced in August 2009.

Notes to Editors

This is the third year the scheme, which was previously known as the Musical Theatre Bursary, has been run. So far over 75 winners have received over £300,000 in funding.

Students who receive a Dance and Drama Award from their college will not receive a grant from the Training in Musical Theatre scheme.

Each application form will be read by the fund's independent assessors. If the student has made a good case to receive a grant, they will be invited to an audition in London, in June/July 2009. They will perform to a panel of three people who work in the musical theatre business. If they pass the audition, and if the assessors are satisfied that financial circumstances would make it difficult for them to take up their college place, they will be asked to stay behind for an interview, to discuss their application further.

The auditions and interviews take several days and it will be several weeks before a decision is made. The decision of the fund is final.

The fund receives revenue from voting on shows like I'd Do Anything and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Performing Arts Fund is a registered charity (no.1101276).

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Press Office