Wildwood High School student Eric Miranda was presented with the East Lynne Young Artist Scholarship by East Lynne Theater Company’s Artistic Director Craig Fols. Miranda, an actor, singer and role model, will play the Grinch in the school’s winter show.
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- East Lynne Theater Company recently presented the East Lynne Young Artist Scholarship to Eric Miranda, a freshman at Wildwood High School. The $500 scholarship was awarded to Miranda at a special event where Wildwood High School students attended a matinee/workshop performance of “Tales of Mystery and Suspense.”
Incepted in 2006 and formerly called the Historic Jackson Street Neighborhood Scholarship Fund, the East Lynne Young Artist Scholarship is awarded annually by East Lynne Theater Co. to a student with a passion for theater, either on stage or backstage, who wishes to pursue some aspect of the entertainment industry as a career. This includes those in high school, college or recent graduates.
Miranda, who lives in Wildwood, is an actor, singer and musician and has been an integral part of the Wildwood Wave after-school theater program since he was in grade school. He is a beloved and acclaimed performer who has received accolades for being innovative and always willing to help, as well as being a trusted role model. Roles include: Shrek (and other various roles) in “Shrek, The Musical Jr.” (film); Maui in “Moana Jr.;” Genie in “Aladdin Jr.;” and Grandpa in “Willy Wonka, Jr.” He continues to pursue acting and music now that he is in high school and will appear as the Grinch in the high school’s upcoming winter play.
“We were really thrilled to be able to present Eric with the East Lynne Young Artist Scholarship this year,” said Sally Bingham, education director at East Lynne. “He 100% epitomizes what this scholarship is all about: a student with a real appetite for theater as a career and a role model to others. We’re looking forward to seeing what Eric accomplishes in the future.”
East Lynne also provides scholarships to Cape May Cares, a non-profit “creating and funding educational and community programs to help improve the everyday lives and enhance future opportunities for children,” to attend the theater company’s Student Workshops that are run by Bingham each summer.
Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater Company (ELTC) was the first theater in the country with the unique mission of presenting and preserving America's theatrical heritage. The New York Times listed ELTC as one of the 75 top summer theaters in North America. In 2018, the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly passed a joint legislative resolution recognizing ELTC as “one of the state’s most important cultural treasures.”
