The Black Theatre Coalition & Broadway Across America Celebrate Inaugural Season of Fellows in NYC

The John Gore Organization has announced that their 14-week paid fellowship program, in a landmark partnership with the Black Theatre Coalition, concluded with a trip to New York City in April. The inaugural fellowship program began in January and was created as a paid part-time fellowship program for undergraduate juniors and seniors, and recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in theater administration. The Black Theatre Coalition / Broadway Across America Fellowship, sponsored by the John Gore Organization, provided six fellowships across the United States in the field of commercial theater administration.

Future/Prospective Fellows can register for the upcoming Spring cycle at broadwayfellows.com.

The 2022 class of fellows includes Jessica Augustave, Cris Blak, Allison Currie, Je'Shaun Jackson, Rickey Orr and Viraj Shriwardhankar.

As part of the fellowship's New York visit, the group met and had events with leading industry professionals on Broadway including: a Black Industry Professional Panel featuring Brian Moreland (producer), Irene Gandy (press agent), Aaliytha Stevens (marketing), Alia Jones-Harvey (producer); meetings with industry professionals including: Barbara Whitman (producer), Kumiko Yoshii (producer), Brian Moreland (producer), Nick Scandalios (Executive Vice President of the Nederlander Association), Tom Schumacher/Jack Eldon (President and Vice President of Disney Theatrical Group), Meredith Blair/Brian Brooks (President and Vice President of Broadway Booking Group), and Broadway League Rising Stars; and a mixer with BTC and their fellowship cohort including: Warren Adams, T. Oliver Reid, Charlotte St. Martin, David Stone and BTC's Board of Trustees.

Recognizing the underrepresentation of BIPOC professionals in the commercial theater industry, this program is dedicated to fostering and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, access, and inclusion while providing an invaluable, in-depth education in the business of commercial theater. BTC-BAA Fellowships in the inaugural semester were available in New York, Cincinnati, Fort Lauderdale, and Louisville.

"Our relationship with BAA/John Gore has been phenomenal," says Warren Adams, Co-Founder and Artistic Director for BTC. "From the very first day, BAA and the John Gore Organization respected both our immediate and long-term vision. We spent months together mapping out how a true collaboration would function. Now that vision has been realized."

"We are proud to partner with BTC in our efforts to diversify the behind-the-scenes workforce in our industry," said John Gore, Owner and CEO of the John Gore Organization. "Developing the next generation of theater artists and theater professionals has been a priority for JGO and this fellowship program will help open the door for aspiring BIPOC theater professionals for years to come."

T. Oliver Reid, BTC Co-Founder and Artistic Director said, "My co-founders Warren Adams, Reggie Van Lee and I are truly excited about what this partnership with Broadway Across America/John Gore Organization has offered to this first cohort of young, black professionals, by hosting them at regional BAA offices. What has started this year as six fellows, we look forward to doubling that next year in more offices. Lauren Reid and the BAA team jumped into this partnership feet first and have inspired us with their compassion and drive to bring this program to fruition. We look forward to a lasting partnership with BAA/JGO as we continue to remove the illusion of inclusion in the American Theatre."

"It has been fulfilling working with BTC to help introduce the business of Broadway to young talented professionals that have been underrepresented in our workforce," said Lauren Reid, President of JGO. "I am excited for the future after spending the last 14 weeks working with our inaugural class of BTC/BAA Fellows."

For the past several weeks, the fellows have been learning directly from BAA industry professionals working in the world of Touring Broadway. The fellows have delved into sectors like Ticketing & Business Intelligence, Finance, Marketing, Programming, Presenting, Production and more.

BTC/BAA Fellows have gained practical experience through on-the-job learning in Broadway Across America offices and learn the intricacies of the business through an education curriculum taught by JGO professionals as they embark in an offstage career in the business of Broadway. The program has provided fellows with an opportunity to develop the job skills, broad understanding, and network connections necessary to begin a professional career in the commercial theater industry.

On the heels of a successful inaugural session, the BTC/BAA Fellowship has announced the next class of fellows will be welcomed into BAA in January 2023.

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