Fendrick Theatre Fund
$1,000 Grants for Individual Theater Artists
The David R. Fendrick Theatre Fund was established at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo in memory of David Roos Fendrick (1941-1988), the critically applauded Western New York actor, director, writer and scholar. Fendrick was the youngest member of the first Lincoln Center Repertory Company and went on to a respected career in regional theaters across the country, including Buffalo’s Studio Arena Theatre. Among his many distinguished performances was his portrayal of Irish rebel and writer Brendan Behan in a one-man show that continues to hold the record as Buffalo’s longest-running theatrical performance.
This grant is awarded every other year. The David R. Fendrick Theatre Fund supports:
- Individual artists and creatives*;
- Projects with the potential for production;
- Unique projects, including experimental and multi-media theatrical productions;
- Under-represented or marginalized voices.
| Applications Open | Monday, July 1, 2024 |
| Final Application Due | Wednesday, August 14, 2024 by 11:59PM |
| Funding Announcement | Mid-September 2024 |
*Eligible applicants include actors, directors, writers, composers, designers, performance artists, musicians, or other individual theater professionals, regardless of descriptive title or relationship to a particular institution, who contribute to the creative process of theater.
ASI uses Foundant’s GLM grants management system to accept applications. You can register for an account and complete the application using the button below. If you have trouble accessing the portal or require assistance with your application, contact Holly Grant at [email protected] or 716-833-3004 x512.
Criteria for Funding
This grant is designed to support of one creative theater artist with a $1,000 award. It is made in memory of the fund’s establishers and founders, Neil Garvey and Jesse Kregal.
Proposals that meet the following will be considered:
- Supports the work of an individual applicant;
- Is for a theatre-based project;
- Funding would be used for writing or production of a new work, completion of a work in progress, and/or new production of an existing work;
- Supports or features under-represented voices.
The selection panel will consider the following criteria when evaluating proposals:
- Has a clear artistic vision.
- The significance, distinctiveness, and innovative qualities of the project.
- Provides creative contributions to the artistic discipline.
- Viability of the project’s prospects for completion.
- Proposals that include novel approaches to public engagement with regards to the creative process or public presentation.
The proposed project must be mid-way through its lifespan—i.e., beyond conception, but not yet to the point that it would be considered programmatic or general operating support for an established theater. Selection will be based on the quality of the proposal and the merit of past work. Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate a feasible plan for completion and performance in the Greater Buffalo area.
2024 Grant Recipient
Congratulations to 2024 Fendrick Theatre Fund recipient Avye Alexandres! She was awarded the $1,000 grant for her production of Compass.
Compass intertwines live performances with a four-channel audiovisual installation, placing the audience in a unique position to explore the narrative from multiple perspectives. Through this work, Avye delves into themes of independence, desire, and the tension between the known and the unknown. The piece resonates with urgent questions of women’s autonomy, societal expectations, and safety in domestic situations.
By combining live performance with video production to break down the fourth wall, the audience is invited to engage deeply with the emotional realities of her characters, challenging them to consider their own interpretations and assumptions. The performances will be a blend of nuanced storytelling, dynamic choreography, and audio immersion, creating an experience that is both thought-provoking and visually captivating.
Avye Alexandres is a visionary, Buffalo-based artist, whose performance practice spans the fields of theatre, performance art, and expanded-cinema. With a background in Photography and Theatre, and an MFA in Art, Avye brings a unique perspective to her work, exploring psycho-spatial questions and human connection. Her Fendrick funded project, Compass, is an ambitious and immersive experience that follows four women as they navigate the complexities of leaving home.
Past Grant Recipients
Past grant recipients include:
Avye Alexandres, 2024 – “Compass”
Umar Azam, 2022 – “Echoes of a Faraway Land: Unheard Voices of Pakistani People in America”
Celeste Lawson, 2020 – “Typography of Women: I Am Not Invisible”
Heather Fangsrud, 2018 – “Knock Knock, Jesus Calling”
Matthew LaChiusa, 2016 – to commission “The Inquiry Into the Fate of the U.S.S. Pequod”
Joy Scime, 2016 – for production of “Dissonance”
David Oliver, 2008 – playwright, for research on Vincent Van Gogh
Anna Kay France, 2005 – for playwriting for “The Great Tree”
Anthony Cardinale, 2002 – for the production of the original play “The Red Heifer, A Tale of Jerusalem”
Kelly Beuth, 2001 – for the production of Sternberg’s “Miss Julie”
Timothy White, 2000 – Life Achievement Award
Susan Hodge Anner, 1999 – for playwriting “Searching for Cindy Crawford”
Kenneth Shaw, 1998 – for design and written adaptation of the Nancy Drew Book, “The Mystery at Lilac Inn” by Carolyne Keene (Edward Stratemeyer) for TOY Company
Geraldine Duskin, 1997 – for costume design, “Cardinal in the Snow” a premiere Pick of the Crop Dance Company Production, based on the poetry of Rilke
Jerry Finnegan, 1996 – to take his production of Samuel Beckett’s “Krapp’s Last Tape” to the Edinburgh Theatre Festival
Vincent O’ Neill, 1995 – to develop a stage adaptation of “Finnegan’s Wake” by James Joyce
Kelli Grey Bocock and Michael Hake, 1994 – to produce a musical adaptation of “The Snark” by Lewis Carroll
Jack Hunter, 1993 – to produce “The Speed of Darkness” by Steve Tesich
Michele Costa, 1992 – to develop puppetry production, “On the Hill,” based on “Spoon River Anthology” by Edgar Lee Masters
Robert Waterhouse, 1991 – to direct “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov
Tom Dooney, 1990 – to direct “La Ronde” by Arthur Schnitzler