Lin-Manuel Miranda and Family Found RISE THEATRE DIRECTORY to Increase Visibility For Underrepresented Theatre Artists

Today marks the debut of RISE (Representation, Inclusion, & Support for Employment) Theatre, along with the launch of their new tool: The RISE Theatre Directory, a FREE national online directory promoting the visibility of individuals who work backstage, behind-the-scenes, and in support of theatre making. With a special focus on amplifying women, people of color and folks from underrepresented communities, RISE aims to bridge gaps amongst the theatre industry's large diverse talent pool. 

RISE Theatre was founded by Maestra Music and the Miranda Family Fund, with generous seed funding from inaugural partners: the Miranda Family Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Jeffrey Seller, John Gore for Broadway.com, Jordan Roth, The Nederlander Organization, Thomas Kail, and UPS Foundation and through partnership with the American Theater Wing and The Broadway League.

“Staffing a theatrical production is often a daunting task and people often miss out on hiring incredible talent because they don't know where to look. The RISE Theatre Directory aims to level the playing field for all theatre practitioners and give underrepresented communities a place to be discovered. From crew up to general managers, the RISE directory strives to ensure that backstage staff are as diverse as the stories we write for and tell on the stage. I couldn't be more excited to see how this directory can help foster greater collaboration and make our beloved industry more equitable.”

• Lin-Manuel Miranda 

“RISE Theatre is a national ecosystem built with a coalition of partnership that is representative of the diverse theatre-making that exists in all corners of the United States. By building networks of visibility and empowering practices of equity within our industries, we are providing the field with greater tools to build progress and sustainability.”

• Adam Hyndman (RISE Theatre)

"At Maestra, we have learned that the best way to combat the dangerous idea that skilled people who look like us don't exist is to offer visible evidence that we most certainly do. I'm so happy that RISE Theatre is now set to transform the industry, filling our workforce with skilled artists and laborers who previously had not seen the path to their employment in the theater." 

-    Georgia Stitt (Maestra Music)

RISE Theatre's Community Partners Include:

• A Broader Way Foundation
• Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC)
• Arts Administrators of Color
• Arts Ignite
• BIPOC Arts
• Black Stage Everything
• Black Theatre Coalition
• Breaking the Binary Theatre
• Broadway Advocacy Coalition
• Broadway Women's Alliance
• The Business of Broadway
• Design Action
• The Dramatists Guild of America
• Harriet Tubman Effect Institute
• Invest In Access, Inc.
• Latiné Musical Theatre Lab
• The Lillys
• Musicians United for Social Equity (MUSE)
• Open Stage Project, Inc.
• Prime Produce Apprentice Cooperative
• Producer Hub
• Ring of Keys
• TEMPO (Trans & Expansive Music Professional Organization)
• Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC)
• The Industry Standard Group (TISG)
• tutti musicians
• Women Count
• Women & Theatre

Setting the stage for the launch of the directory, different leaders and talent in the theatre space such as Danny Marin, Nzinga Williams, and Rosalba Rolon, came together to share their personal accounts of what fuels their passion for their craft, while acknowledging and identifying the prevalent diversity issue in the theatre industry. By organizing and sharing their stories, RISE Theatre's Community of Advocates aim to build community, and hold a mirror up to theatre employers and decision-makers, in hopes of inspiring change for the future.

RISE Theatre's Community of Advocates Include:

• Brandon Kazen-Maddox (@bkazenmaddox) - Director, ASL Artist, Educator
• Camille A. Brown (@camilleabrown) - Choreographer 
• Cody Renard Richard (@codyrenard) - Stage Manager
• Cherie B. Tay (@cheriebtay) - Stage Manager
• Clint Ramos (@clintramos) - Costume/Scenic Designer
• Danny Marin (@itsdannymarin) - Producer/Actor
• Emilio Sosa (@esosafashion) - Costume Designer
• Georgia Stitt (@georgiastitt) - Composer, Lyricist, Music Director
• Helen Park (@thehelenpark) - Composer, Lyricist
• Judy Yin-Chi Lee (@judyyclee732)- Musician
• Larissa FastHorse - Playwright
• Lin-Manuel Miranda (@lin_manuel) - Songwriter, Actor, Director, Producer
• Maria Goyanes (@mariagoyanes) - Artistic Director 
• Meghan Abel (@meganbable) - Head of Props for Barrymore Theatre/Shuberts
• Nina Ward (@geminina1) - Publicist
• Nzinga Williams (@zingzinga) - Company/General Manager, Fat Ham
• Paul Tazewell - Costume Designer
• Peter Royston (@peterroyston) - State Manager/Arts Educator
• Quiara Alegría Hudes (@quiaraalegria) - Playwright
• Rosalba Rolon (@rosalbarolonr) - Artistic Director
• Sammy Lopez (@shlopez21) - Producer/Director 
• Wilson Chin (@wilsonchindesign) - Scenic Designer 

To celebrate the debut, RISE Theatre organized an industry launch brunch at The Civilian Hotel in New York City, with attendees including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller, Helen Park, Quiara Alegría Hudes, John Gore, Martha Steketee, Maggie Brohn, and more.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                Lin-Manuel spoke about the nexus for RISE Theatre's creation, before playing a PSA which highlights personal accounts from RISE Theatre's Community of Advocates and explains the necessity for the directory. Adam Hyndman (Project Manager for RISE) and Victoria Detres (Project Coordinator for RISE) then spoke of ways to get involved and support the cause RISE Theatre is uplifting -- to create more equitable hiring practices within the theatre community.