2001 Scholarship Recipient Cast In Upcoming Duke Ellington Tribute at New York City Center

Jared Grimes, along with Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center. Cotton Club Parade is a celebration of Ellington's years at the famed Harlem nightclub in the 1920s and early ‘30s. With Ellington's music as the centerpiece, Cotton Club Parade reimagines one of the composer's Cotton Club floor shows when the joint was jumping with revues featuring big bands, swing and blues, dancers, singers and novelty acts. Read more.

Jared Grimes is a 2001 Donna Reed Foundation National Scholar (Dance) from High Point, North Carolina.

1995 Scholarship Recipient Has Role In New Nickelodeon Series.

Kari Wahlgren will voice "Tigress" as Nickelodeon premieres the highly anticipated computer generated animated comedy series, Kung Fu Panda:  Legends of Awesomeness on Monday, Nov. 7, at 5:30 p.m. (ET/PT).  The series is a co-production with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.

Kari has provided voices for dozens of anime titles and video games, as well as commercials, jingles and promos. She is a University of Kansas graduate and a 1995 Donna Reed Foundation National Scholar from Hoisington, KS.

 Watch The Premiere Of “Kung Fu Panda: Legends Of Awesomeness” Online Now

Third Annual Night on the Red Carpet Promises a Night of Mystery

    It’s a night of intrigue as The Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts presents its Third Annual Night on the Red Carpet, Saturday, October 29, 2011. Be in the middle of the action as two separate mysteries unfold during the evening.

    It begins with a Mystery Dinner Theater at 6 pm at the Boulders Conference Center. Start gathering clues the moment you enter the door. Hear from the major suspects and prepare for a shocking arrest. All take place during the buffet style meal.
    The action shifts to the Donna Reed Theatre for an 8 pm film screening of “Scandal Sheet” starring Donna Reed, Broderick Crawford and John Derek. This black-and-white film noir is entertaining and tightly plotted with the requisite twists and turns. It is followed by a dessert buffet in the theatre lobby courtesy of REINEYS.
    Tickets are $35 each, $60 for two and $200 for a table of eight. For tickets or Information, call The Donna Reed Foundation, 712-263-3334. Advanced reservations are recommended.

2004 Scholarship Recipient Joins Cast of Jersey Boys

Preston Truman Boyd

Preston Truman Boyd is now appearing in the Tony Award winning production of Jersey Boys as Bob Gaudio. He joined the first national tour during their run in Omaha in September. Originally from Moorhead, MN, Boyd was the recipient of both the 2004 Donna Reed Vocal Scholarship and the Musical Theatre Scholarship.

He played the role of the Monster in the first national tour of Young Frankenstein the Musical by Mel Brooks. He replaced Shuler Hensley after understudying the role and performing in the ensemble. Check out the video clip.

Boyd is a member of the Actors Equity Association and a graduate of the College Conservatory of Music (CCM), University of Cincinnati. At CCM he was seen in the Pajama Game (Sid Sorokin), The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King), Wonderful Town (Wreck), Cabaret (Ernst Lugwig), Little Women (John Brooke), Crazy for You (Moose), Brigadoon (Angus MacGuffie) and SideShow (Roustabout).

Donna Reed Theatre Hosts Another Wedding

The Donna Reed Theatre had the pleasure of hosting its second wedding on August 13, as Kayla Sorenson and Andy Thelen were united in marriage on a stage transformed with rich colored fabric. Billboard cases greeted guests with specially designed movie posters featuring the couple. The theatre marquee enhanced the theme as it flashed the message, “Tonight Only. Private Showing. The Marriage: A Deal's a Deal.”

American Icon Series Comes To Donna Reed Theatre in Denison, IA

Imagine spending an evening with American Icons Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Roosevelt, Barbra Streisand, and Abraham Lincoln – and seeing a live version of It’s A Wonderful Life.

The Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts in Denison, Iowa, is creating that kind of exciting opportunity. The newly created “American Icon Series” features five “Chautauqua-style” events and runs from July, 2011 to February, 2012. The performances include two concerts, two historical re-enactments, and a live radio play.

Each performance will begin at 7 p.m. at the Donna Reed Theatre, 1305 Broadway, in downtown Denison, Iowa, home of The Donna Reed Foundation and Museum.

July 16, 2011 - “The Life and Times of Sinatra” 

September 10, 2011 - “Eleanor Roosevelt – In War and In Peace” 
October 1, 2011 - “Then and Now . . . The Artistry of Barbra Streisand” 
December 2 & 3, 2011 - “It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play” 
February 3, 2012 - "An Evening With President Lincoln"

* More about the performances.
* More about the artists.
* Ticket Order Form.

Tickets can be obtained by calling The Donna Reed Foundation at 712-263-3334, by e-mail at info@donnareed.org or by downloading and mailing the ticket order form.

1998 Scholarship Winner Is New Traffic Reporter

KCCI TV launched its new morning "Beat the Traffic" report with former Sioux City television personality Jackie Schmillen anchoring the segment alongside a new interactive high-definition traffic map.

The former actress "has the perfect blend of passion, personality and enthusiasm to go with a great understanding of Central Iowa's traffic flow," said KCCI general manager Paul Fredericksen in a statement announcing her hiring.

Schmillen, a Cherokee native, received a Donna Reed Foundation scholarship in 1998. She appeared in regional theater productions in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and North Carolina, until five years ago when she joined Pappas Telecasting stations KMEG and KPTH in Sioux City, where she promoted local events.