Our network partners are hosting some great events this month. Check out what’s On the RISE in the RISE Theatre Network. If you want to stay in the know, check out risetheatre.org.
Happy New Year from RISE and Maestra! We hope you all had a happy holiday season. Here are our 2026 New Year's Resolutions for the theatre we want to build.
- Equity is not optional. It's foundational. Equity is how we decide who gets opportunity, who gets paid, and who gets heard. It is not an add-on – it is the very structure that shapes the field.
- Access is intentional. Designing access means artists aren't just invited in, they're supported to stay.
- Leadership reflects our communities. When leadership reflects all voices, the field grows, opportunity expands, and the work reaches its full potential.
- The future is collaborative. Progress happens when we invest in people, not just productions. Community is how change lasts. No single voice shapes the future – we do it collectively.
If you are interested in potential collaborations with RISE this year, please email info@risetheatre.org.
Collab-Connections with Signature Theatre
When: Thursday, February 26th, 6pm
Where: Signature Theatre, 480 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036
In partnership with Signature Theatre, rub elbows with fellow BIPOC art administrators. Grab a drink and make new collaborators. The happy Hour RSVP link will be shared on our social media channel next week, follow @risetheatreorg to stay in the loop.
We are happy to also offer a special discount for RISE Theatre Directory members. Use the code RISE20 to get 20% off tickets for the evening performance on February 26th. Click the link below to purchase tickets.
Business of Broadway Producing 101
Producing 201: CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT & RIGHTS
Tuesday January 13, 6:30-9:00pm ET
Investigate how a new theatrical work is developed and discuss the role of the producer in the creative process, including but not limited to: hiring generative artists, offering dramaturgical feedback, determining whether a nonprofit or commercial development pathway is right for your show, and crafting artistic benchmarks for the development timeline.
Greenwich House Music School Melody & Company Chamber Series
When: January 10th, 7pmWhere: Greenwich House Music School
Melody and Company Chamber Series presents an evening of music for piano and winds by W.A. Mozart and Cecilia McDowall.
Please join Melody and Company Chamber Series for an evening of music for piano anf winds in the West Village, NYC!
Program:
W.A. Mozart Piano Sonata in C Major, K 330
Cecilia McDowall Country Dances for Oboe Clarinet and Bassoon
W.A. Mozart Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat, K 452
Melody Fader, Piano
Karen Birch Blundell, Oboe
Ella Avni-Levi, Clarinet
Melissa Kritzer, Bassoon
Eric Reed, French Horn
Please join us for a reception following the music with wine and other goodies.
Harriet Tubman Effect’s Inaugural Leadership Conference
The HTE Academy conference aims to offer training for the leadership and talent of new and experienced DEIA-minded professionals to directly address workplace challenges. Post attendance, leaders will join the HTE community and gain the tools and learnings to thrive in their industry through access to ongoing training opportunities, software design and support from HTE staff. Participants will leave with practical, research-based interpersonal and technical skills, reference materials and customized resources for navigating the workplace.
DAY 1
- Curriculum: exercises and cognitive based therapy techniques, goal setting and measuring success
- Communication techniques: facilitated dialogue, coaching and role-playing
- Embodiment practices: sustainability and resilience coaching during workplace challenges
- Direct care: accountability practices for inequities, facilitation responses to equity needs.
Cost: $200 for day ticket, $500 for two day ticket
DAY 2:
- Data-informed resource design: building on the knowledge and skills learnt in day one, gain access to customizable resources
- Technology/software training: access to HTE’s suite of dismantling systemic oppression technologies and customized coaching on implementation
Virtual Workshop for Educators – Her Story Everywhere: Bringing Women’s History into Elementary Classrooms
When: January 14th, 4pm EST
Join the National Women's History Museum on January 14th at 4:00 PM EST on Zoom for a two-hour virtual educator workshop designed especially for elementary teachers. This session will explore cross-curricular strategies to integrate women’s history into math, ELA, and science lessons that shows how women’s stories can strengthen inquiry, literacy, and critical thinking
across subjects.
Led by Katlynn Cross-Harris, K–12 Education & Research Specialist at the National Women’s History Museum, this interactive workshop will provide adaptable classroom examples and ready-to-use resources. Participants will discover how inquiry-based learning, the C3 Framework, and historical empathy can transform lessons into opportunities for students to make meaningful connections between history, identity, and everyday learning.
Whether you teach fractions, ecosystems, or reading comprehension, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas to help your students see that women’s history is part of every subject.
Certificates of completion are available upon request.
Producer Hub & The Tank’s The Get Together
When: January 15-17, 2026
The Get Together is a three-day festival of live performance showcasing the work of artists from The Tank and Producer Hub communities. The Get Together will consist of work-in-progress presentations, excerpts of pieces , full showings and a community party on the final day.
Theatre Advocacy Project presents: Know Your Rights Navigating the Theatre Workplace
When: Monday January 19, 2026
About Workshop
This workshop empowers theatre professionals—whether actors, directors, designers, or administrators—with the knowledge they need to understand and assert their rights in the workplace. Participants will gain clarity on employment classifications, legal protections, and contract essentials, while also learning how to recognize and respond to workplace misconduct. This session supports theatre workers in advocating for safe, fair, and respectful working conditions across all stages of production.
What you’ll learn
- Identify different types of employment relationships (employee, contractor, union) and what rights apply to each
- Understand the basics of workplace protections, including harassment laws, wage standards, and accommodations
- Spot red flags in contracts and know what clauses to look for or question
- Navigate reporting processes and understand available resources when facing workplace harm or misconduct
Who It Is For
Any and all performing arts professionals
A.R.T./New York's Creative Opportunity Fund Info Session
When: Thursday, January 8th, 4:30PM - 6:00PM ET
Join Erica Wray Barnes, A.R.T./New York's Associate Director of Grants and Member Engagement, for a virtual info session to discuss the NYSCA - A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund. New applicants are encouraged to attend this session!
In this session, we’ll:
- Give you a clear overview of the grant and who’s eligible
- Walk you through the evaluation criteria step by step
- Demystify the application process with a guided tour
- Save time at the end for all your burning questions
Creative Opportunity Fund Timeline:
Application Closes: January 20, 2026 at 5:00PM ET
Office Hours: December 2, 2025 - January 16, 2026
Notifications: March 2026
Application open for the Rhineback Writers Retreat’s 2026 Summer Residencies
Applications are now open for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat’s 2026 Summer Writing Residencies. Each summer, RWR hosts nine musical theatre writing teams for fully-funded weeklong retreats in the Hudson Valley, offering writers dedicated, uninterrupted time and space to develop new musicals. There is no application fee for submissions received by February 2. Learn more and apply at www.rhinebeckwriters.org.
