UK Theatre Program Names Scholarship after FWCD Teacher

What started as a sabbatical project is now a lasting legacy. FWCD’s very own Siouxsie Easter, Upper School Theater Director, and her name will go down in history at Advanced Studies in England (ASE) with the creation of The Siouxsie Easter Scholarship. This new award supports one college theatre student per semester or summer session in ASE’s rigorous study abroad program in Bath, England.

Easter’s connection to ASE began in 2014, when ASE Dean and Director Jonathan Hope invited her to help launch the program’s Theatre Summer School. Drawing from her research of theatre institutions across England, Easter wrote the curriculum, helped design the theatre course offerings, and built relationships with professional theatres. She has since taught in the summer program at ASE four times as an American Tutor, most recently in 2021, and continues to serve on the panel that selects each scholarship recipient.

“ASE wanted a theatre wing in their summer school, and I was able to help shape that from the ground up,” Easter said. “It was an opportunity to connect American students to the richness of British theatre – not just by reading about it, but by living it.”

A respected educator with 18 years at Wells College in New York – where she was a Theatre Professor and ultimately served as Chair of the Arts and Humanities Division – Easter brought creative vision to ASE’s program. The summer courses delve into the differences between American and British acting styles, and include hands-on opportunities like workshops in Stratford-upon-Avon or the West End and trips to professional productions in London.

Now at FWCD, Easter continues to inspire students on and off the stage. With this scholarship, her impact offers college theatre students an opportunity to study theatre abroad and engage in a transformational experience.