From STAFF REPORTS

NEW YORK, NY —Lauren French of Cordele has been awarded over $50,000 in scholarships and financial aid to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), a performing arts conservatory here.

The daughter of Kim French of Cordele and Dwayne French of Haynesville will be studying voice, dance and acting as she pursues a degree in musical theatre.

Admission to AMDA is competitive, and students come there from all over the globe. They are selected from auditions held in 38 cities throughout the U. S., Canada, Mexico and England.

AMDA was founded in 1964 as a premiere performing arts conservatory. With campuses in New York’s Upper West Side and in the historic Hollywood district of Los Angeles, AMDA sits in the epicenter of the entertainment community making it suited to offer intensive full-time training programs in acting for stage, film and television and musical theatre training in voice, acting and dance.

AMDA graduates are, or have recently been on Broadway in Chicago, A Chorus Line, The Color Purple, Grease, Gypsy, Hairspray, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Rent, Spamalot and Wicked.

French, a 2007 Crisp County High School graduate attended the University of Mobile in Mobile, AL where she performed with the “Sounds of Mobile” and “The Chamber Singers” before being accepted to attend AMDA. Currently, she is enrolled in her first semester there.