TPOC Announces Cohort for 'Commercial Theatre Producing 101'

Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC), a newly formed organization committed to supporting the next generation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) producers by providing access to education, training, and mentorship, announced today their 2022 cohort for the second-annual educational program - "Commercial Theatre Producing 101." The cohort will include participants from all over the world (New Zealand, Toronto, China, and Japan); and across the country (New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Texas, California, Nashville, and more). Over ten weeks, participants will learn the fundamentals of commercial producing - development paths, financing, budgeting, and more - with experienced BIPOC and White ally leaders as their guides, tuition free.

The 2022 cohorts will include Jhanelle Bisasor; Lisa Cortez Walden; Anant Das; Noemi de la Puente; Cynthia L. Dorsey; Arysbells Figueredo; Yesenia Garcia Herrington; Vanessa Immink; Sergio Mexia; Afsheen Misaghi; Phoebe Moore; Sujotta Pace; Tricia Patrick; Shernā Ann Phillips, PhD ("Dr. Nae" for short); Carmen Quinones; Adam Rei Siegel; Alex Robertson; Roman Sanchez; Jacob Santos; Ariana Sarfarazi; Malkia Stampley; Riza Takahashi; Simon Tran; Rhonda Wilson; and Ziyue Yang.

Producer Sammy Lopez (A Christmas Carol, Be More Chill) will serve as the overall program mentor, creating a safe space for learning and providing the guidance necessary for participants to become future leaders in the commercial theatre industry.

Guest speakers for "Commercial Theatre Producing 101" include Tony Award winner Rashad V. Chambers, E. Clayton Cornelious, Maria Manuela Goyanes, Ben Holtzman, Fiona Rudin, Toni R. Isreal, Nicole Javanna Johnson, Dale Mott, Dana Li, Dessie Moynihan, Tony Award nominee Doug Nevin, Tony Award winner Joey Parnes, Ilene Rosen, Tony Award nominee Matt Ross, Erica Rotstein, Heather Shields, Tony Award nominee Rachel Sussman, and Tony Award winner Barbara Whitman. To learn more about our guest speakers, please click here.

Using the new Broadway-bound musical Gun & Powder as a case study throughout the course, participants will gain experience from the team involved in bringing the show to the stage. Additionally, each cohort member will select one of their own projects, or, choose a show currently on Broadway, and practice implementing some of the tools that will be shared over the ten weeks - such as creating project pitch materials for investors and co-producers, navigating the uncertain financial climate of the pandemic, and identifying the most viable development steps for their projects.

The course will meet on Mondays from 6:30-9:00pm EST beginning March 7, 2022 through May 23, 2022.

The selection panelists, who reviewed and evaluated the nearly 170 applications include Sophie Aung, Jacquelyn Bell, Adam Coy, Lady del Castillo, Ryan Duncan-Ayala, Eric Emauni, Isha Gulati, Lawryn Lacroix, Rob Laqui, Olivia Lilley, Vaibu Mohan, Marina Montesanti, Joey Reyes, Brayden Simpson, and Traci Tolmaire.

TPOC is incubated and supported by Broadway For All (BFA), an organization that provides young artists and stakeholders in entertainment with the programming, community, and vision to build a more inclusive and powerful arts industry.

Learn more at theatreproducersofcolor.org

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