BURRILLVILLE – A local seventh grader chose the Assembly Theatre in Burrillville as the recipient of a grant that she won recently from the Feinstein Junior Scholar Foundation.
Katherine Smith, 13, who attends Good Shepard School in Woonsocket, made the donation during the intermission of “The Lion King ” on Sunday, a play in which she portrayed Scar.
“I wanted to donate it here because I like how the Assembly gives everyone a chance to get their own part,” Smith said. “They’re really welcoming. It must be hard to manage a theatre.”
Smith, who has been active in the theatre for three years, said she is interested in pursuing a future in the performing arts.
“It’s quite an honor for us,” said Tom Tatro, a member of the board of directors for the theatre. “We are humbled and grateful and proud for this donation, especially since it’s from someone who has come here and approves of what we do.”
The Feinstein Foundation has a Golden Ticket program for all students at each of the schools in its program, said Jennifer Deoliveira, principal of Good Shepard School. There are raffles with winners at the end of the week who receive $2,000 for their school and $500 for the organization of their choice, she said.
“[Smith] won, and she is a big part of the Assembly Theatre. She wanted to give back to thank them,” Deoliveira said.
Deoliveira presented the $500 to Tatro on stage with Smith.
“Almost 100 years ago a mill owner and philanthropist gave this theater as a gift to the town of Burrillville,” Tatro said. “For the upcoming 100 year celebration we have some grant money to do a brand new stage floor. Improvements continue all the time.”
The donation “is truly humbling,” he said. “Thank you very much.”
