Donna Reed scholarship finalist now appearing in two hit shows

Mekia Cox

Mekia Cox plays roles of a strong, independent woman

Mekia Cox is becoming one of the best known actresses in Hollywood. She currently stars in two hit shows—ABC’s Secrets and Lies and NBC’s Chicago Med—and rocks each role like a pro. Although the roles are pretty different, it allows us to see Mekia in a different light each time. She has a great depth of talent and it is a pleasure to see her in different roles each week. Read the complete TVGrapline article.

Cox was a 1999 Donna Reed scholarship finalist in musical theater from Orlando, Florida.

Donna Reed Scholarship Alumnus To Recur In Season 3 Of TV Land Comedy Series

Ben Rappaport    -Associated Press

Ben Rappaport, 2004 Donna Reed Scholarship national finalist in acting

Ben Rappaport (Mr. Robot) has been cast in a recurring role opposite Molly Bernard on Season 3 of Darren Star’s TV Land comedy series Younger.

He’ll play medical intern Max Horowitz, a new love interest for Lauren Heller (Molly Bernard). Max and Lauren went to camp together as kids, and when they run into each other in a bar, they start to rekindle their friendship and develop into something more. Ben will first appear in the third episode of the season, “Last Days of Books”, which airs Wednesday, October 12. Season 3 premieres on September 28.

Rappaport can currently be seen in the second season of USA’s breakout series Mr. Robot recurring as Ollie Parker. He previously recurred for two seasons on The Good Wife and starred in the NBC comedy Outsourced. He is co-starring on Broadway inFiddler on the Roof and will soon appear in Landing Up, a film he also co-produced.

Donna Reed Scholarship alumna joins cast of 'Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 8 - Journey's End'

Kari Wahlgren

Kari Wahlgren, popular voiceover artist

If you are a “Minecraft: Story Mode” gamer, watch for Mevia, the enforcer. You will be hearing the voice of Kari Wahlgren, a 1995 Donna Reed Foundation National Scholar (acting/vocal) from Hoisington, KS.

“Journey's End” is the eighth “Story Mode” episode, and the final announced episode thus far. It follows 'Access Denied' (review here), but this time out, Jesse and party seem to be on the cusp of finding their way home.

In Episode 8: 'A Journey's End', with Harper leading them to the world of the Old Builders, Jesse and crew finally have their chance to return home... but it won't be easy, and the stakes are high. You'll need to take on opponents in a series of gladiatorial games to win your freedom, save your friends, and maybe, just maybe, make it back to your own world!

The September 13th launch date included PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon, and even Windows Store.

Donna Reed Foundation Sponsors Tri-City BBQ Costume Contest

Come strut your stuff!

Look ridiculous and win prizes at the 2nd ever BBQ Costume Contest! Get creative and dress up as your favorite meat, animal or anything else BBQ related and you could win! All ages!

PRIZES: 1st- $100 in BBQ Bucks; 2nd- $50 in BBQ Bucks; 3rd- $25 in BBQ Bucks; ALL runners up - $5 in BBQ Bucks

The silliness goes down Sat., Sept. 17th at the Reisz Construction FREE streetside stage at 3:15pm, hosted by the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Check out the full event schedule at: tricitybbq.com/schedule

Billy McGuigan Returns to Denison With New Show

Rave On: The Buddy Holly Experience reinvents the ordinary tribute show with an electrifying, high-energy, rock n’ roll extravaganza featuring America’s premier Buddy Holly interpreter, Billy McGuigan! 

If you missed him at the Omaha Playhouse in June, you can catch him in October at the Donna Reed Theatre in Denison, Iowa.

Billy McGuigan as Buddy Holly

Jared Grimes to choreograph Signature Theatre's “Jelly's Last Jam”

Jared Grimes, choreographer

2014 Astaire Award winner for Outstanding Male Performer in a Broadway show

Jared Grimes, 2001 Donna Reed Foundation national scholarship recipient in dance, will bring a dazzling, high-energy choreography to the Arlington, Virginia's Signature Theatre in its upcoming production of Jelly's Last Jam.

Jelly’s Last Jam, according to the Signature, “tells the story of one of jazz music’s pioneers with a jazz, blues, and ragtime score based on Jelly Roll Morton’s original music. Journey from the back alleys of New Orleans to the dance halls of Chicago to the stages of New York with ’he who drinks from the vine of syncopation’ in a sizzling memoir of pride, lust and a past denied.”

Grimes has danced alongside legends such as Wynton Marsalis Gregory Hines, Ben Vereen, Jerry Lewis, Fayard Nicholas and also performed for Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy at the Kennedy Center.

At age 30, he was named outstanding male dancer in a Broadway show at the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards in New York. He won for his tap dancing in the Cotton Club-era musical revue, After Midnight.

Grimes made his choreography debut in Cirque Du Soleil's, Banana Shpeel off-broadway, choreographed commercials for Chilis and also assisted choreography with Kristin Denehy for Macy's popular Kids Bop commercial.

"Shuffle Along" Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon joins Broadway's "Hamilton"

Brandon Victor Dixon

1999 Donna Reed scholarship finalist in musical theater cast as new Aaron Burr

Two-time Tony Award nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (Shuffle Along) will join the cast of Broadway's Hamilton in mid-August, replacing Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr.

Dixon was nominated last season for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Shuffle Along, and was previously nominated for Best Featured Actor for the original production of the The Color Purple. The stage star previously acted in Motown and the Off Broadway production of The Scottsboro Boys.

In addition to winning the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards this year, including the evening's biggest prize, Best Musical. The show's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda took home two prizes himself for both Book and Score, while his costar Leslie Odom Jr. bested him in the Leading Actor category.