Black Theatre Coalition Announces Fellowships

Co-founders T. Oliver Reid, Warren Adams, and Reginald "Reggie" Van Lee, along with Executive Director Olivia Jones and Program Director Lico Whitfield, announced today the members of their inaugural cohort of Fellows in conjunction with partners of current Broadway Productions.

These Black Theatre Coalition Fellowships are one-year placements with Broadway creatives or professional offices specific to the opening or ongoing operations of Broadway productions. These Fellowships provide a $50,000 annual salary and the opportunity to participate in the efforts of mounting a Broadway production. Each fellow will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in their area of the industry, working alongside current industry leaders at the highest levels, learning the process of theater making from the executive, creative, and administrative areas. The Fellowship also provides mentorship and guidance from Black professionals currently working in the industry and from BTC Accomplices within offices where fellows are placed. Additionally, Black Theatre Coalition will produce "Pop Up Events" in which the full cohort of fellows will have the opportunity to put skills into practice. The Black Theatre Coalition Fellows currently working with specific productions are as follows:

Jordan Booker Medley (Company Management) is working with the company management team for Wicked. Brandon Kelley (Choreography) is the Assistant Choreographer for Come From Away. Jourdan Miler (Scenic Design) & Amina Alexander (Lighting Design) will be working with scenic and lighting designers from Harry Potter and Moulin Rouge. John Bronston (Music Direction) & Nia Blizzard (Stage Management) are working with the production of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Amy Marie Haven (Producing), previously announced with the Producing Fellow Cohort, will be supporting the producing team at Iowa Stubborn LLC for the revival of The Music Man. Tyra Ann Marie Wilson (Producing), who was also previously announced with the Producing Fellow Cohort, will be supporting the producing team at Disney Theatrical Group with the ongoing tour of Lion King. And Lori Tishfield (Marketing and Advertising) has joined the Marketing team at Disney Theatrical Group to support ongoing marketing efforts for DTG's Broadway productions.

"We are so proud to be participating in BTC's fellowship program," said Thomas Schumacher, President & Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. "During my initial conversation with T. Oliver and Warren, I was inspired by the clarity of the strategy and breadth of their vision. But then, to see what they have already accomplished in their mission to bring about tangible change to our industry is just incredible."

Black Theatre Coalition recently completed its inaugural Apprentice Program with the opening of the critically acclaimed Broadway revival, COMPANY. BTC also has an ongoing Broadway Fellowship Program which has currently funded 20 fellows, 8 apprentices, and 6 regional Fellowships in cooperation with the John Gore Organization and Broadway Across America.

Other Industry Partners helping fund these fellowships include Madison Wells Media, Disney Theatrical Group, Jujamcyn Theatres, Bespoke Theatricals, Foresight Theatrical, 101 Productions, RCI Theatricals, ShowTown Theatricals, Thompson Turner Productions, Sony Music Group, Adventureland, Mara Isaacs, Tom Kirdahy Productions, Hal Luftig Company, Doug Denoff, Hunter Arnold, Daryl Roth Productions, Stage Entertainment, Moulin Rouge, Come From Away, Hamilton, Tara Rubin Casting, Telsey + Co, Spotco, DKC/O&M, Broadway Women's Alliance, Bond Theatrical Group, American Express and The Theatre Leadership Project (TTLP)

Over the 155 years since the very first Broadway musical (The Black Crook) premiered in 1866, the "Great White Way" has seen 3,002 musicals and 8,326 plays. Across all of these productions, there have been only Ten Black directors of a musical (0.3%) , Eleven Black directors of a Play (0.13%) and Seventeen Black choreographers of a Musical (0.56%). All of this directly correlates to the fact that there have only ever been Two Black lead producers of a musical (representing 0.06% of all Broadway musicals). Furthermore, the numbers for Writers, Composers, Scenic, Lighting, Costume, Sound, Video, Music Contractors, Musical Directors, Arrangers, Orchestrators, Hair/Wigs/Makeup, Casting, General Management, Stage Management, Company Management, PR and Marketing/Advertising range from 0 to 5 in each category.

In a joint statement, Mr. Reid, Mr. Adams, and Mr. Van Lee said, "Once we identified just how vast the disparity is between the perceived inclusivity on stage and the utter dearth of black professionals off stage, we began outlining ways in which we could address and ultimately eradicate this invisible imparity. This outline provided a clear path forward for our organization and our entire industry. It's high time to end this 'illusion of inclusion' by reshaping the theatrical ecosystem for those who have been marginalized by systematically racist and biased power structures that have endured since the dawn of the American theater."

For more information about the Black Theatre Coalition, visit their website www.BlackTheatreCoalition.org

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