Hollywood legend Carol Burnett endows scholarship at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television

Hollywood icon Carol Burnett has endowed a scholarship at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT). The scholarship will support high-potential undergraduate students in the school's Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program.

Thanks to the endowment from the beloved star of stage, film and television, the TFT department of theater, which houses the Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program, will administer the scholarship. Each year, with the Carol Burnett Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship in Music Theater, a new student will receive a substantial award to help offset the cost of tuition and fees, beginning this year with Alexa Cruz, a currently enrolled member of the class of 2029.

"I am so pleased that, with this endowment of the Carol Burnett Scholarship to the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, students will be given an opportunity akin to what UCLA gave me when I enrolled fresh out of high school," Burnett said. "I found my true passion at UCLA, and in this scholarship lies the hope that it will do the same for many others for many years to come."

The renowned actress and comedienne demonstrated her talent for music performance during her early days self-producing on small stages in New York, and later, in her Tony-nominated Broadway debut as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone in "Once Upon a Mattress," a role she originated. She went on to inspire generations during her long-running eponymous CBS variety show, "The Carol Burnett Show," which ran for 11 seasons. Burnett's turn as the villainous Miss Hannigan in the hit film version of "Annie," found her yet another generation of fans. Burnett currently stars in the Apple TV series "Palm Royale," whose creator and showrunner, Abe Sylvia, is a graduate of UCLA's TFT.

The inaugural recipient of the scholarship is Alexa Cruz, a first-year theater major with a focus on musical theater. Cruz said two favorite songs she's performed in community theater are ones connected to Burnett's legendary roles, "Little Girls" from "Annie" and "Shy" from "Once Upon a Mattress."

"I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful to accept this tremendous gift toward my education," Cruz said. "As a first-generation college student, this scholarship will help me pursue my dreams of becoming an actress and make my goals feel more attainable. This financial assistance will greatly support my educational expenses. I'm truly humbled by this opportunity and excited to continue pursuing my degree at UCLA and my passion for musical theater."

Burnett has also gifted UCLA's TFT more than 140 industry awards and accolades she has received during her illustrious career. These will be showcased in the lobby of UCLA's Freud Playhouse, home to musical theater produced within the school.

"Carol Burnett has led one of the most visionary, joyful and prolific careers in the history of multiple entertainment industries," said Celine Parreñas Shimizu, dean of TFT. "She created new paths every time something blocked her way. She created new forms within the industry for herself and others to thrive. Her approach to craft is completely aligned with the spirit of what we teach our brilliant students at TFT. Carol Burnett's voice has always been, and will always be, part of our story as we train upcoming generations to follow her bold and tenacious example."

The Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program is a specialized concentration that students majoring in theater at UCLA can pursue. It is named for singer, actor and dancer Bolger, who delighted audiences as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" and Barnaby in "Babes in Toyland."

The musical theater program introduces students to a wide variety of performance techniques and approaches through rigorous studio classes, performance opportunities and guest master classes. Recent alumni include Fernando Carsa, star of Apple TV's "Acapulco"; singer-songwriter Paravi Das, who was part of the 2021 American Repertory Theater premiere of "Wild: A Musical Becoming," while still a student in the program; and Nicole Athill, who was a featured performer on Broadway in "Aladdin" throughout 2023.

The most recent musical theater production at TFT was a high-tech, audience-interactive version of "Xanadu" in spring 2025. It brought together broad creative expertise from students, researchers and faculty of the school's Center for Research in Engineering, Media and Performance, an ongoing partnership with the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering.

Burnett and Sylvia visit the UCLA campus on Thursday, Nov. 6, to present remarks in advance of a sneak preview of the "Palm Royale" season 2 premiere. James Bridges Theater, 7:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.