The Black Theatre Coalition Announces Inaugural Cohort of Producing Fellows

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 Producing Fellows as part of the Black Theatre Coalition Fellowship Program.

The Black Theatre Coalition Fellowship in Producing is a one-year fellowship that provides each fellow with job placement in a Broadway Producing office and a $50,000 annual salary. Through these placements Fellows will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in all aspects of producing including creative development, fundraising, marketing, public relations, and production oversight. This initial cohort of Producing Fellows includes Tyra Ann-Marie Willson with Disney Theatrical Group, Adam Hyndman with Octopus Theatricals, Danielle Covington with Tom Kirdahy Productions, and Amy Marie Haven with Iowa Stubborn LLC- Kate Horton/Rashad V. Chambers.

In a statement about the fellowship program, Tony Award winning Producer and President of Tom Kirdahy Productions, Tom Kirdahy stated: "My team and I are thrilled to be participating in the Black Theatre Coalition fellows program. We dream about how the world could be and BTC is helping to bring about essential change in the theatre industry. BTC is blazing a trail for a better tomorrow and we are honored to be a part of that journey."

The BTC Fellowships provide each fellow the opportunity for immersion 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 /or administrative areas. Mentorship and guidance throughout the Fellowship Program from Black professionals currently working in the industry and from BTC Accomplices within companies/offices where fellows will be 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.

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 fellowships include Madison Wells Media, Disney Theatrical Group, Jujamcyn, Bespoke, Foresight, 101 Productions, RCI, Showtown, Thompson Turner Productions, Sony Music Group, Adventureland, Mara Isaacs, Tom Kirdahy, Hunter Arnold, Stage Entertainment, Moulin Rouge, Come From Away, Alchemation, Tara Rubin Casting, Telsey + Co, DKC/O&M, Broadway Women's Alliance, Bond Theatrical, 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

For partnership inquiries email - Partnership@blacktheatrecoalition.org

For submissions - Submissions@blacktheatrecoaliton.org

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