Conrad Ricamora launches scholarship fund for aspiring Asian actors

Tony-nominated actor Conrad Ricamora has announced the launch of The Right To Be There, a scholarship fund supporting Asian American male actors pursuing BFA or MFA programs in theater. The fund was established in response to long-standing exclusion in the industry, which Ricamora says has forced Asian American men to continually prove their worth to belong on stage.

The announcement comes shortly after controversy erupted over casting in the Broadway transfer of Maybe Happy Ending, in which white actor Andrew Barth Feldman replaced Tony winner, and mixed Asian performer, Darren Criss, in a leading role. Though Ricamora says the scholarship isn’t solely in response to that moment, the uproar underscored a deeper, ongoing erasure that has shaped his own experience in the industry.

Ricamora personally donated $18,000 to the GoFundMe campaign, which raised more than $40,000 since it launched on Sunday.  

He hopes the fund will not only ease the financial burden of training, but help younger actors feel seen and valued. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ricamora said, “I wanted to create a scholarship that specifically promoted funding for training. As an Asian American man, your talent has to be so undeniable. That’s the only way you can make your way in this.”