Theatre Producers Of Color Presents The Annual 'Producing 101' Program

Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC), the 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 the return of their annual educational program - "Producing 101," where aspiring producers are able to learn the fundamentals of commercial producing, including development paths, financing, budgeting, and more, with experienced BIPOC and White ally leaders as their guides, tuition free over 11 weeks. Applications are now opening for aspiring producers.

The deadline to submit is January 30. To apply, please submit a resume and complete a short application at the following link: https://theatreproducersofcolor.org/producing-101

For more information, please visit: https://theatreproducersofcolor.org/.

Since their beginning in 2021, "Producing 101" alumni have come from all over the world (New Zealand, Toronto, China, Japan, USA, and more) and 51 are currently rising through the ranks of the Broadway and off-Broadway business. Some recent achievements of the cohorts include: Four alumni are currently making their Broadway debuts as co-producers on the hit revival of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson and A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical; three alumni making their Broadway debuts as associate producers on Dana H. and Is This A Room; and one alumnia, Cynthia Dorsey, was named the 2022/2023 Prince Fellow.

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.

Lopez commented, "We're not only examining the commercial producing industry as it currently exists but building a community of theatre-makers who share the perspective of creating art as a vehicle for change on and off the stage. I'm honored to return as the 2023 program mentor and encourage transparent reflection of our theatre-producing practices."

Guest speakers for "Producing 101" include Jill A. Anderson, Osh Ashruf (Tony Winner), Rashad V. Chambers (Tony Winner), Samuel Dallas, Ken Davenport (Tony Winner), Ben Holtzman (Tony Winner), Toni Isreal, Nicole Javanna Johnson, Dale Mott (Tony Winner), Doug Nevin, Leslie Papa, Ilene Rosen, Matt Ross (Tony Nominee), Erica Rotstein, Heather Shields, Ron Simons, Rachel Sussman (Tony Nominee), Cynthia J. Tong, and Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt. For more information on the guest speakers and their headshots, please click HERE.

Using the new Broadway-bound musical How to Dance in Ohio 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 11 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 20, 2023 through June 19, 2023.

The selection panelists and final cohort will be announced in March.

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.

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