Congratulations to Jordan Moore the third winner of Theater-Masks.com’s Bi-Annual Scholarship. Jordan will be a student at The University of North Carolina School of Arts School of Filmmaking in the fall of 2017.
The number of applications for the Theater-Masks.com Scholarship was amazing this time around. After the initial read there were 8 applications that were worthy of further consideration. Those 8 were narrowed down to 3. The applications that became finalists focused primarily on those who experience the work and the work itself rather than the artist who creates it.
It took a day to read through all of the applications. It was a day filled with hope and inspiration. I was taken by the dreams and the compassion so many young artists have toward contributing something better to this crazy world we live in. Thanks to those who participated in this endeavor for sharing with me your passions!
Here some quotes from the essays of our runners up:
“Theater isn’t about putting on a mask and becoming someone else, it’s about taking off the mask and being human.”
- Sage Peacock
“In a world so bent on destroying each other through division and hate, the arts give me the chance to bring people together. I can pick up the broken pieces of my community piece by piece, heart by heart, show by show.”
- Ethan Rich
Our winner this year is Jordan Moore. With his essay titled “I Choose Pain.”
Jordan writes:
I detest clichés and if the devil exists I’m convinced he speaks in platitudes, not tongues. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Despite its nominal truth this bit of linguistic laziness would normally elicit an eye roll capable of inducing nausea in a stunt pilot. However, a response filed away in some obscure part of my consciousness has managed to stick with me. “Yes, but not everyone makes it into that second category.” I’m convinced that when life comes for you, two choices exist: anesthesia or pain. I choose the pain. These are the stories I want to tell, the ones I’ve attempted to tell as an independent filmmaker. Stories of those scarred individuals who chose pain, who made it into that second category, who wear their mark like a badge of honor. Their stories remind us of one fundamental truth oft overlooked amidst our daily trials… stronger or not, today didn’t kill us. We’re still alive.
When notified of winning the scholarship Jordan was thankful for the help.
Jonathan feels the giving of scholarships is a way to create a more meaningful impact through his work as an artist.
“It is through the sharing of our personal stories that we provoke empathy, create compassion, spread and inspire kindness and create understanding among peoples. Without a continued sharing of our stories we will be forever at odds with each other. You must get to know someone before seeing them as you see yourself.
– Jonathan Becker
I wish Jordan the best as he embarks upon his journey.