The Mary Pat Gleason Youth in Theatre Scholarship Program

The Mary Pat Gleason Youth in Theatre Scholarship Program honors the memory of an extraordinary woman—an accomplished actor, writer, and arts advocate whose talent and humanity touched countless lives. In a career spanning more than fifty years, Mary Pat worked across television, film, and theatre. She began her acting career on the high school and community stages of the Twin Cities, where she grew up, eventually moving on to a professional career in New York and later Los Angeles. Along the way she earned a Daytime Emmy Award for her writing on The Guiding Light and amassed numerous screen credits, appearing in television favorites as well as many feature films. A career highlight was her acclaimed one-woman show, Stopping Traffic, in which she candidly shared her experiences living with bipolar disorder. Her performance offered rare insight into the daily realities of living with mental illness—enlightening both lay audiences and clinicians alike.

Mary Pat deeply believed in the transformative power of the arts. She devoted her time, energy, and expertise to the Virginia Avenue Project (VAP), a nonprofit organization bringing theatre arts to young people in underserved Los Angeles communities.

Although she passed away in 2020, her spirit endures—in the laughter she inspired, the lives she uplifted, and in the ongoing work of those who continue to share her belief that art can change lives.

The YPC mission to “empower youth and inspire social change through bold theatre” and to make art programs available to all perfectly reflects the values in which Mary Pat believed. Therefore, to honor her memory, her friends have chosen Youth Performance Company as the home for The Mary Pat Gleason Youth in Theatre Scholarship Program. This program will allow young artists to engage in YPC’s theatre arts classes and workshops and help students across the Twin Cities attend live theatrical performances at YPC for little or no cost; removing barriers and fostering a love of theatre in a new generation.