Industry Theatre Newsroom Page 17

Broadway Licensing Global has announced its acquisition of two critically acclaimed titles, including The Comeuppance, the Broadway smash hit new play, by two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and Flex, the widely lauded new play by Candrice Jones.

The Bayless Family Foundation has revealed the winners of two major theater grants.

January is often a rough month in the theater industry - there are fewer shows running, audiences are reluctant to venture out into the winter weather, there is typically a slate of Broadway closings, and companies are taking stock of their financial situation following the closure of (typically) popular holiday productions.

Thomas Green, a veteran talent manager and producer, is launching Thomas Green Entertainment, a new management and production company with a focus on multi-hyphenates of the global majority across television, film, theater, music, sports, and fashion. 

'Two Thousand Miles' makes its New York debut with a special industry presentation at Open Jar Studios.

The New Victory Theater and The 24 Hour Plays have partnered for Speak Up, Act Out: Celebrating Student Voices, a creative writing program aimed at uplifting student writers and their work. New York City students in grades 5 through 12 are encouraged to submit applications by February 25.

TRW Plays has announced their new partnership with award-winning playwright and director Joe Calarco, author of Shakespeare’s R&J. Learn more aboutt he partnership here!

The Kleban Foundation has announced the recipients of the 34th annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre. The 2024 Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist has been awarded to Rona Siddiqui. The 2024 Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist has been awarded to  Lisa Loomer.

Cara Joy David explores the concerning trend that suburban audiences are less willing to travel into the city center to see shows due to a perceived increase in crime in the city, leaving audiences feeling less safe getting in and out of shows. In the UK, funding cuts force theatres to innovate in ways to stave off closure and grow their audience.

Stage Raw and The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company have announced an expansion of their partnership to launch the Youth Journalism Fellowship, offering free professional mentorship to prospective writers (15-25 YO) with a focus on theatre coverage and critique.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces playwright Deepa Purohit as the recipient of the 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize.

Horton Foote Prize founder Mari Marchbanks announced today she will step down as Executive Director of the Horton Foote Prize. Valerie Brea Ross, Administrative Director of the Horton Foote Prize, will take over the role of Executive Director starting in January 2024. Ms. Marchbanks will continue her role as chair of the Prize board. 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat, in collaboration with the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation, has selected playwright Deepa Purohit as the winner of the 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize (HGP).

RoadCo Entertainment, the production and distribution agency specializing in live entertainment experiences, has announced a key addition to their growing team - Greg Seamon has joined the company as a new Agent.

Waterwell, the community-organizing theatrical production and education company, will celebrate 20 years of telling engrossing stories that grapple with complex civic questions with a party on Monday, February 12, 2024, to commemorate the milestone.

Larah Simpson has joined Music Theatre International's London office as Head of Plays, Managing Director Seán Gray announced. In this role, Larah will be responsible for all aspects of licensing plays from the Josef Weinberger Ltd. and MTI catalogues, engaging with current and new authors, and leading on the acquisition of new titles.

The Broadway Stage Management Symposium (BSMS) celebrates a decade of bringing together stage managers from around the world to learn, connect, and grow. The 2024 conference is a fully hybrid event and will be held Saturday, May 18th – Sunday, May 19th, 2024 both online on a dynamic platform, and in New York City.

The new season of ALL ARTS series, Famous Cast Words, explores representation and inclusion in the entertainment industry with leading stars from Broadway to Hollywood. Hosted by Lynne Marie Rosenberg, the series delves into critical topics and premieres on February 6.

After a nationwide search, The Theater Offensive has announced theater and film producer, talent manager, and LGBTQIA+ rights advocate Giselle Byrd as its new executive director. The appointment makes Byrd the first Black trans woman to lead a regional theater company in the United States. 

Josh Katzker (he/him) is the Director of Marketing for The REV Theatre Company. He has served The REV in several capacities since 2005. He spent several seasons acting and road managing with The REV on Tour before joining the administrative staff in 2015. In January of 2022, Josh became the company's Director of Marketing.

TDF announces recipients of FY 2024 TAP Plus grants, supporting inclusivity in NYS theatres. 28 organizations will receive $135,000 for captioned programming.

Bloomberg Philanthropies announced that non-profit cultural organizations in the U.S. and U.K. can apply to join the expanded Digital Accelerator Program.

Sony Music Masterworks, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, has announced a new strategic venture with Roast Productions, a live entertainment company founded by Bonnie Royal and Michael Stevens.

SoHo Shakespeare Company presents THE IDES—adapted from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Join us for an industry reading on January 20, 2024 at The Flea Theater, NYC.

Learn about the latest appointment at THORNTON WILDER LLC as Jeremy McCarter takes on the role of the new Literary Executor.