Black Theatre Coalition Launches with Goal of Increasing Work Opportunities

T. Oliver Reid, Warren Adams, Reginald “Reggie” Van Lee, Afton Battle and Aaliytha Stevens have announced the formation of the Black Theatre Coalition (BTC). The new organization aims to eradicate racial inequities within the theater industry and to build a sustainable, ethical roadmap to increase employment opportunities for Black theater professionals by at least 500 percent by 2030.

BTC has shared its first steps to implement change. First, the coalition aims to mobilize by securing partnerships with companies and professionals committed to BTC's mission; non-Black allies have agreed to work with BTC to identify Black candidates for employment in their offices, implement paid intern and mentorship programs for Black creatives and to create paid fellowships and/or leadership positions in their offices and hire paid Black assistants on future Broadway projects. BTC is also establishing connection initiatives with colleges and universities to create a sustainable pipeline of Black graduates entering the theatrical workforce.

BTC also aspires to implement change for every Broadway show. To support recruitment efforts, BTC is building a comprehensive national database that intends to include every Black behind-the-scenes theater professional in the country. This database will serve as Broadway’s resource for locating, contacting and employing Black creatives and executives. As an initial partnership, BTC and the producers of Company have joined forces to implement 10 paid positions as apprentices as the show goes back into rehearsals and through opening night.

The organization also intends to transform the industry by presenting an annual performance series with three shows including one original musical, one revival of a musical and one new play. This platform will feature works produced, created, designed and managed by Black artists and executives.

“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," co-founders Reid, Adams and Lee said in a statement. "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 info on BTC, head here.