OP likely needs merit aid, interested in theater and improv, as a girl? Take a look at Denison – very good merit aid, not as unbalanced gender-wise as some LACs, so female applicants may not be at as much if a disadvantage, and perhaps most importantly, has Improv group where Steve Carrell honed his skills.
But more broadly, sounds like OP must sit down and run NPC at U Conn and a sample of schools like Colgate, Hamilton etc, to see what aid package might look like. If the predicted need-based aid is not feasible for the family, time to search for merit. NESCACs, including Trinity, which was mentioned, as well as Hamilton, do not give merit aid.
The toughest nut to crack here is the finances.