Front Row Productions Launches 2022 Fellowship

Front Row Productions was established by award-winning producers Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey to bring major works to Broadway and the West End featuring diverse casts, creative teams and management. In furtherance of that mission, the producing team founded the Front Row Productions Fellowship in 2021 to support the development of gifted theatrical producers of color and increase the diversity of work produced on Broadway. Applicants who have demonstrated potential, achievement and/or leadership in and support for the African-American theatre community will be given preference during the selection process.

Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey have partnered with Steven Chaikelson, Head of the MFA Theatre Management & Producing Concentration at Columbia to create a pipeline for emerging producers of color to bring their work to Broadway. The program is designed for an individual with producing and/or theatre management experience who is looking to take their existing project to the next level and aspires to a career as a lead commercial producer. The goal of the program is to foster entrepreneurial skills and to help the fellow create their own business opportunities. To that end, the fellowship will provide the fellow with tools to succeed in the competitive Broadway environment; access to a New York City and regional network of theatre professionals; and expert guidance in the creative and business development of their fellowship project.

The 2022 Front Row Productions Fellowship year will run from September 2022 through August 2023. During their time participating in the fellowship, each fellow will develop a new play or musical; receive a stipend of $10,000 (subject to tax withholding), a $20,000 budget to cover development costs; receive one-on-one support from the mentors and advisors; have access to the Columbia University resources including the library system and courses offered through the MFA concentration in Theatre Management & Producing; and have the opportunity to participate in the Theatre Management & Producing Concentration's Producer Exchange Program with Stage One in the UK.

Click here to access the application and please choose 2022 Front Row Productions Fellowship.

Before assembling your application, please read these instructions carefully.

Recommendation Letters

Recommenders can be undergraduate, graduate, or professional contacts; they should be people who can speak to your business and creative abilities and potential. We request that applicants submit all letters of recommendation electronically through our online application system. However, if your recommender prefers to mail the application, please follow these instructions: provide the form, along with a stamped envelope, to each recommender and request that they (1) enclose the recommendation; (2) seal the envelope; (3) sign their name across the seal; (4) mail the letter to:

FRONT ROW PRODUCTIONS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
c/o Columbia University
Theatre Arts Program
2960 Broadway, MC 1807
New York, New York 10027

Citizenship

All applicants must be United States citizens or have permanent resident status. You may prove U.S. Citizenship or Green Card Status by uploading a copy of any one of the following to the online application system: U.S. Passport, Green Card, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship or Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, with registrar's seal and signature.

The following are NOT adequate proof of citizenship: driver's license, voter registration card, or army discharge papers.

Presentation & Additional Materials

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of the quality of their past work, the application and their potential as Creative Producers. We are looking for well-organized and thoughtful applications that capture who you are as a person and as a theatre producer. Please be sure to proofread your application carefully before you submit it. The submission of relevant additional materials, over and above those that are required as part of the application, is highly recommended. Such additional materials might include photographs of work, press releases, reviews, etc. Please underline or highlight pertinent passages in any promotional material or reviews you submit. As part of the selection process the Admissions Committee will evaluate the professionalism of the application and the relevance of any additional materials.

Responsibility

All materials included in your application become the property of Columbia University and the Front Row Productions Fellowship Program.

Deadline

All application materials for the Front Row Productions Fellowship must be submitted no later than July 20, 2022. It is your responsibility to meet this deadline.

Interviews

The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing applications beginning on July 21, 2022. A group of semi-finalists will be selected and interviewed via Zoom during the week of July 25.

Notification

We expect to notify applicants regarding the status of their application by August 1, 2022. Official notification will be sent to the applicant by email at the address indicated on the application form. To ensure prompt notification, please keep the Fellowship Office up to date with respect to any changes to your mailing address, email, and phone number. Admissions decisions are made by the Front Row Productions Fellowship Admissions Committee and all Committee decisions are final. The Program regrets that, due to the large volume of applications, it cannot provide individual feedback to those who are not admitted.

Deferral

Accepted applicants cannot defer admission into the program. Front Row Productions Fellows must complete all academic and production work within one year of entering the program. Exceptions to the foregoing will be considered on a case by case basis.

Progress

Fellows who do not make satisfactory progress may be cut from the program.

Prince Fellowship Applicants / Prior Year Front Row Fellowship Applicants

Certain materials that have been uploaded and/or submitted for the Prince Fellowship application or for last year's Front Row Productions Fellowship application, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, may be rolled over for consideration by the Front Row Fellowship Admissions Committee. Please see the application for further information.

Learn more at https://frontrowfellowship.com/apply/.

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