The Richard D. May Studio A.C.T. Scholarship Program
A limited number of scholarships are available each session for students who may need financial assistance to attend Studio A.C.T.
Scholarships are awarded on a need-basis and are subject to class availability.
Scholarship applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the applicant’s desired class is scheduled to start.
To apply for a Richard D. May Studio A.C.T. Scholarship, first read the Conservatory Scholarship Statement of Purpose & Understanding. If after reading the Scholarship Statement you believe you qualify, consult the current list of classes to select the specific class(es) for which you would like to apply, then email us at studio@act-sf.org to request a link to the online Scholarship Application form. Applicants may apply for up to two classes per session.
Richard D. May (1958-2023)
Richard D. May took classes with Studio A.C.T. from 2016 to 2023. After completing the Studio A.C.T. Acting Sequence from Intro to Acting 3, he continued to take classes regularly and was a vocal advocate for the program and for actor training in general. Richard’s commitment and enthusiasm for acting, and his unique and generous personality, left a strong impression on all who worked with him. Richard was very open about his past struggles with homelessness and addiction, and credited his pursuit of theater for giving his life a renewed direction and purpose.
On October 28, 2023, Richard was walking to a rehearsal prior to that evening’s first performance of Death of a Salesman at African American Shakespeare Company, in which he’d been cast in the role of Uncle Ben, when he was tragically struck by a car and killed. The news of Richard’s untimely passing on the eve of his Bay Area acting debut broke our hearts. The Studio A.C.T. Scholarship Program had only recently been established in the Spring of 2023, and Richard was among the first to apply. We have named the Scholarship in his honor, and in fond memory of his contribution to both Studio A.C.T. and to the lives of all those lucky to have known him.
The following testimonial video, in which Richard speaks about his experiences at Studio A.C.T., was recorded in September 2023. We share it here in further memorial to our dear friend.
Richard, flights of angels to thee.
You may read the SF Chronicle article about Richard’s passing and this follow-up article.
A website created by a friend of Richard’s to honor him can be found here.