Pentacle Theatre Announces Three Local Scholarship Winners

By Steven Trahan, For the West Side Newspaper

Terrence Green is the recipient of the Jo Dodge Acting Scholarship 

Terrence Green is a multidisciplinary artist working across theater, film, and modeling. His stage work includes standout performances such as Donkey in Shrek the Musical, as well as Rend, a powerful play written by Kenneth Reams while he was on death row.

Currently pursuing a BFA in Acting at Howard University, Terrence continues to expand his training through opportunities such as a study abroad at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and a private workshop with Taraji P. Henson, experiences that have deepened both his discipline and artistic perspective. 

In film, Terrence has appeared in projects including Cahoots and Howard University’s Film Organization anthology series, and recently worked as a cinematographer on a feature film, broadening his approach to storytelling behind the camera.

In addition to his performance work, he has modeled for brands such as Adidas and Quiksilver. Terrence remains committed to telling meaningful, dynamic stories and is grateful for the support that continues to shape his journey.

Jo Dodge, also a Pentacle Theatre lifetime member, has acted and directed in numerous Pentacle Theatre productions, taught acting workshops at the theater through Chemeketa Community College since 1981, and shared her love of theater with hundreds of Pentacle Theatre volunteers for more than 30 years.

Ethan Fetterley is the recipient of the Tom Ulmer Theatre Scholarship

My goal is to become a theatre educator at the secondary level, with a BA in Sexuality, Gender, and Queer studies (minoring in education) and a Masters in Education with a focus in theatre. I’ve wanted to teach theatre ever since I was in 6th grade, and recently I’ve realized how passionate I am about providing a safe space for students who feel unsupported or abandoned in the current education system - I want to give them somewhere they can unapologetically be themselves, and to help them nurture their confidence and curiosity to explore the world through performing arts. My experience as a theatre student has taught me how to work with people of all experience levels and all different backgrounds to create cohesive, meaningful projects, as well as how to take care of my friends and many extensive theatre families. I hope to pass those skills on to future young performers!

The late Tom Ulmer was a tireless creator and educator of theatrical arts at Pentacle Theatre, Children’s Educational Theatre, and the Salem-Keizer School District. Tom was a lifetime member whose memory Pentacle Theatre honors by awarding scholarship funds to a student who overcame obstacles to give extraordinary time and effort to be involved in theater.

Alyssa Parr is the recipient of the Mary Alice Norton Scholarship

My academic goals have been strongly influenced by theater. My current goal is to earn my master’s degree in special education so I can become a licensed special education teacher. I am passionate about learning, especially learning that promotes creativity and self-expression. Throughout my educational journey, theater has served as a powerful outlet for me to express myself and has given me the confidence to succeed in other areas of my learning.

My main goal is to create an environment where children with diverse learning needs feel safe to express themselves, make mistakes, and develop into confident learners. I plan to incorporate theater into my classroom as a tool to build literacy skills and inspire young learners to be creative.

Theater-based reading has been shown to offer many benefits; it enhances fluency and comprehension skills while also helping students expand their vocabulary. It encourages students to be active participants in their education and teaches them that school can be a place to be creative and have fun.

I believe theater is an incredible and impactful art form, as well as a valuable tool that I will use in my special education classroom to help foster confidence, creativity, and literacy skills in young learners.

The Alice Mary Norton Volunteerism Scholarship is a newly established scholarship honoring Alice Mary Norton’s decades of volunteer service. In 1994, Alice was selected as the first recipient of the Claytene Vick VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD. Her volunteerism extended for 35 years, including in a wide range of theatre support roles from docent, building sets, stage management, sound, lights, props, play reading, and fundraising as the long-time Benefit Chairperson. Alice received Pentacle Theatre’s highest honor: a lifetime membership for her dedication, commitment, and service.