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 AANPHI Heritage Month! This month and all year long, we celebrate and honor the rich contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander Artists in Theatre.
Thank you to our AANHPI Directory members and Network Partners for your invaluable impact in the arts and for inspiring future generations of story tellers.
Join us for our next RISE event with Signature Theatre
WHEN: Thursday, May 21, 6pm
WHERE: Signature Theatre
480 W 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Meet other members of RISE Theatre community before attending ANIMAL WISDOM. Grab a drink and rub elbows with new theatre friends, colleagues, and collaborators.
The happy Hour RSVP link is below along with a link to buy tickets for this performance.
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 May 21st. Click the link below to purchase tickets.
ANIMAL WISDOM
Written by Heather Christian
Directed by Keenan Tyler Oliphant
Step into a musical séance like no other — where the veil is thin, the music is wild, and the spirits of memory come roaring to life. Heather Christian’s “dazzlingly original” (Vogue) piece blends storytelling, requiem, and family mythology in a musical ritual made for sinners and saints alike. A journey into the haunted spaces of memory and loss, this transporting experience comes to Signature in a thrilling new production helmed by director Keenan Tyler Oliphant, diving deep into the relationship between the soul, the seen and the unseen. With her raucous, singular music fusing blues, gospel and folk, Obie Award-winner Heather Christian invites you to pay tribute to the forces that shape our lives.
for the evening performance on February 26th. Click the link below to purchase tickets.
Business of Broadway
Producing 203: ASSESSING & TRANSACTING AN INVESTMENT
May 27th, 6:30-9:00pm ET
A class focused on the stacks of paperwork that dictate commercial theater operations, including the Operating Agreement, Co-Producer Agreements, and Subscription Documents (oh my!). We’ll review the documents you receive as a prospective investor to better understand each one’s purpose through the lens of a producer. What success and/or risk factors does a savvy investor look for? And what does the process of transacting an investment actually look like? 2 hour lecture followed by 30 minutes of Q&A.
All classes are taught virtually.
Broadway Green Alliance: Spring Textile Reuse and Recycling Drive
The Broadway Green Alliance’s Spring Textile Reuse and Recycling Drive will take place across from the red steps in Duffy Square (46th & 7th) on Wednesday, May 13 from 11:00am – 2:00pm.
The drive is open to all shows, theatres, industry members, and fans as a free resource to responsibly recycle unwanted show and personal textiles. Also on site will be a Tree Giveaway in partnership with the New York Restoration Project.
Congratulations to our Network Partner 1/52 Project for their Tony Honors!
The 1/52 Project will receive a TONY HONORS! The OBIE Award-winning 1/52 Project provides financial support to encourage early career designers from historically excluded groups with the aim of strengthening the theatre community by diversifying the stories we tell. The 1/52 Project considers all women of all ethnicities as part of a historically excluded group.
Tony Award-winning scenic designer, Beowulf Boritt, had the idea that if every designer with a show running on Broadway was willing to donate one week’s additional weekly compensation (1/52 of their yearly AWC), what was a small sacrifice for each donor would add up to a significant amount of money to support early career designers.
Since its founding by Boritt in January 2022, 401 individual donations (largely from designers, but also from producers, directors, managers, educators, and significant donations from many shops) have added up to over half a million dollars in grants provided to 35 early career scenic, costume, lighting, sound, projections, hair, and makeup designers.The grant decisions are made by a volunteer committee of eighteen world-class designers from historically excluded groups. Twenty-six individual designers have served on the committee over theProject’s life.
The administration is handled by Bethany Weinstein Stewert and Beowulf Boritt, with help from a volunteer advisory committee. Among the 1/52 Project’s past recipients is the projection designer, Stefania Bulbarella, who made her Broadway debut with Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, was nominated for a 2024 Tony Award for her work, designed Jeff Ross: Take A Banana for the Ride this season, and will design Wanted on Broadway next season.
Other recipients have included the lighting designer, Mextly Couzin, who made her Broadway debut with JOB in the summer of 2024 and designed the off-Broadway hit MEXODUS; the costume designer, Wilberth Gonzalez, who made his Broadway co-design debut last season with REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES and will make his Metropolitan Opera co-design debut with Frida Y Diego; the set designer, Teresa L. Williams, who made her Broadway debut as co-designer on JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN, and designed PROOF this season; and the projection designer, Brittany Bland, who made her Broadway debut with CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL -- and who we believe to be the first Black woman to design projections on Broadway.
R.Evolución Latina Beyond Workshop Series+
Beyond Workshop Series+ (BWS+) is an extension of R.Evolución Latina’s Beyond Workshop Series, offering year-round training for dedicated artists. It features ongoing classes in dance, acting, voice, and professional development led by Broadway and industry professionals.
BWS+ fosters growth, creativity, and connection in a supportive environment. Open to all performers, it encourages collaboration while upholding R.Evolución Latina’s mission to empower and give back through the arts. Whether you're a returning BWS alum or a new artist, BWS+ supports your journey of artistic discovery.
All workshops are priced at $9, made possible by the generous support for their community. To see all upcoming courses please visit the link below.
MAY
5/18: Vocal Salon with Natalie Wilson - 6:30 pm
RevLatina Kids Dance Series
A 7-week dance series for young artists ages 10–13
This series is designed for kids ready to challenge themselves and grow in their dance training. Each class will focus on technique, discipline, and performance, helping students build skills and confidence in a supportive and focused environment. We are looking for young artists who are excited to learn, committed to showing up, and ready to take their training further.
This program is inspired by the commitment and passion we see in young performers working professionally.
What We’ll Explore: Theatre dance, jazz, hip-hop, salsa, and contemporary—guided by professional teaching artists working in the industry and rooted in performance, discipline, and joy.
Starts Tuesday May 12th through June 23rd, 2026
A.R.T./New York Community Forum
Reconnect with the NYC theatre community at the A.R.T./New York Community Forum on May 18th.
This year’s theme, Network: A Net that Works, invites theatre makers to activate the relationships that sustain our field through networking, facilitated meet & greet sessions, a vendor fair, and a fireside chat with industry leaders. Come meet collaborators, share resources, and plug into the network! RISE and Maestra will be there, we hope to connect in person!
WHEN: Monday, May 18, 2026 | 1PM-6:30PM
WHERE: The Center Lobby at The Pershing Square Signature Center
Black Theatre United: BTU Design EXPO 2026
Black Theatre United proudly announces the BTU Design Expo 2026, a dynamic gathering celebrating the artistry and innovation shaping the future of theatrical design.
Hosted by NYU Tisch School of the Arts, the Expo will take place on Friday, May 22, 2026, at the John A. Paulson Center in New York City. All are welcome!
This year’s Expo brings together leading designers across all theatrical design disciplines, alongside emerging and early-career artists, for a day of connection, inspiration, and access.
The program also highlights the essential ancillary artists who support design teams, expanding the conversation to the full spectrum of creative roles that bring productions to life. Attendees will engage in panel discussions, design demonstrations, small-group conversations, a curated resource session, and portfolio reviews offering direct access to industry leaders.
The day will open with welcome remarks from Tony and Academy Award–winning costume designer Paul Tazewell.
Open to students, faculty, staff, and all those passionate about theatre, the Expo is a space for collaboration, community-building, and career development within theatrical design.
TEMPO: Voice Workshop for Trans Artists
TEMPO's next big program is a workshop co-led by tempo board members Anessa Marie, Sandy Sahar Gooen, and Broadway Vocal Coach Chris York!
WHEN: Wednesday May 27
TIME: 6:30-8:30 pm
WHERE: Ripley Grier 305 W 38 Street
*This workshop is for trans singers specifically, but there will be other events open to non-trans music professionals and trans non-music people coming soon!
Learn more through TEMPO’s Instagram Page, @theetempo
Circle Keeper’s 2026 Peace & Justice Youth Conference
✊🏽🎶 2026 PEACE & JUSTICE YOUTH CONFERENCE
📅 Saturday, May 30, 2026
⏰ 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 Brooklyn, NY
🔎 The 2026 Peace & Justice Youth Conference is a full-day, in-person gathering created by youth, for youth, and supported by adult allies committed to youth leadership, agency, and voice.✨
“Everything worth doing is done in community.” — Mariame Kaba
This year’s conference is co-hosted in community and coalition with the following organizations: The Circle Keepers , The YA-YA Network, Brotherhood/Sister Sol, Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI), Parents Supporting Parents NY, Youth Alliance for Housing, Dignity in Schools Coalition, The Center for Anti Violence Education, New York Appleseed, and The Dignity In Schools NY Coalition.
🎤 WHAT TO EXPECT:
🔥 Youth-led workshops, performances & tabling at the intersections of:
Restorative & Transformative Justice Education
Mental Health & Wellness
Self-Defense & Safety Social Justice
Media Making Youth Organizing & Abolition
👥 WHO IT’S FOR? Tweenagers (10–12) & Teenagers (13–19) who care about justice, peacemaking & activismYouth leaders, organizers & activists (20+) in justice-centered fields. Educators, organizers, families & community members ready to learn, support, and build together🎁 SWAG & FOOD (YES, FOR REAL)
🥐 Free breakfast
🍽️ Free lunch & snacks
🎟️ Gift card raffles & prizes
👜 Swag including tote bags, keychains, stickers & more
Director’s Gathering Summer Salon Series
The 2026 Directors Gathering Summer Salon Series is back and officially open for proposals!
This is your chance to prompt a casual, director-centered conversation this summer. Whether it’s about craft, identity, industry challenges, or shared resources, your insight could spark dialogue that helps us all grow.
Each Salon is a lightly facilitated 1-hour virtual session, conversation led by you and supported by (DG).No presentations, just real talk with fellow directors.
Deadline to submit: Monday, May 25 at 11:59 PM PT
Questions? Email directorsgathering@gmail.com
