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.
Thank you to all who attended this year’s RISE Summit at Signature Theatre!
Last month, we gathered at Signature Theatre for Maestra’s annual RISE Summit. This year’s theme was “Breakthrough”. Together we shared personal stories, tactics and strategies, and celebrated the ways in which we can redefine personal career success.
Your presence, your voices, and your eagerness in the room made it clear that this communal space is desired and continues to be essential. The RISE Summit reminded us that to be in space is a privilege, and together we can continue to build systems of care and intentionality.
Thank you for showing up and committing to building a theatre community where we can all be supported. This event continues to be possible because of your presence and support.
Thank you to our venue host, Signature Theatre and our media partner, Playbill.
And to our sponsors that made it possible, Disney Theatricals, Starkweather & Shepley Insurance, Art and Rev Beverages, Athletic Brewing Company, Saint James Iced Tea, and TÖST.
If you’re interested in supporting next year’s summit, please email info@risetheatre.org.
First Takes- Submissions Now Open
We are seeking Composers, Arrangers, Orchestrators, Copyists, Music Directors, and Instrumentalists (woodwinds and ww doublers, trumpet, french horn, trombone/bass trombone, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, drums, piano) to take part in our next in-person Maestra First Takes session on Monday, December 14th from 2-5pm ET in New York City. First Takes is an exciting and supportive opportunity to connect, collaborate, and learn through the reading of new songs prepared and presented by an all-Maestra/RISE music team.
This session's theme is "Happy Holidays!", and applicants are invited to submit new compositions or existing arrangements (see details below) related to *ANY* holiday–whether one in December or January, or another favorite throughout the year, i.e. Lunar New Year, Valentine's, Pi Day, National Best Friend Day, Juneteenth, International Pride Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. Any holiday!
Theatre of the Oppressed
Join Theatre of the Oppressed NYC on October 8th from 6-8pm for the premiere screening of TONYC IS, and discussion with theatre practitioners in NYC exploring cultural activism. Food and refreshments will be provided!
TONYC IS is a short documentary featuring actors and facilitators from our Forum Theatre Troupes, made by TONYC through our own participatory budgeting.The screening will be followed by a panel discussion focused on NYC cultural activism in different contexts.
Author and board member Jan Cohen-Cruz will moderate, with TONYC jokers Liz Morgan & Marcela Artunduaga, Pablo Hernandez Basulto, Director of of Civic Artistic Programs at the Public Theatre; Beto O’Byrne of Radical Evolution, and Chris Vine, director of the Masters in Applied Theatre at Hunter College.
Greenwich House Music School
Join Greenwich House Musical School for Theresa Rosas: Solo Piano Pieces of Bac, Brahms, Chopin and Debussy. Friday October 16 at 7pm at 46 Barrow St. Greenwich House Music School.
Broadway Green Alliance
Join the Broadway Green Alliance for their Fall E-Waste Reuse and Recycling Drive on Wednesday, October 21 from 11:00am – 2:00pm. The drive will take place in Times Square across from the red steps (46th and 7th) and is open to all shows, industry members, and fans, providing a free resource for responsibly recycling old electronics.
TEMPO
This is an INTERCOMMUNAL EVENT FOR ALLIES!
Mon 10/26, 5-8 pm, Ripley Grier 939 8th Ave.
An offering to build greater capacity and knowledge to meet the moment we live in. A chance to be in greater community. Anessa Marie Scolpini, Chris York, and Sandy Sahar Gooen, are rallying MDs/Music Teams of Broadway (and beyond) to keep the conversation going to make better infrastructure for trans artists in musical theater. This is geared towards musical theater music directors in particular, as well as other music team members who interact with singers. Hosted by TEMPO in Partnership with Broadway Voice Coach, Chris York.
Reach out to @theetempo on instagram, or Anessa Marie Scolpini, Chris York, or Sandy Sahar Gooen for more info.
A.R.T. NY Community Forum
REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!
Join A.R.T./New York's Community Forum Fall 2026 from October 26-27, 2026.
A.R.T./New York’s Fall Community Forum is a two-day gathering designed to equip independent artists, cultural workers, and theater organizations with the tools to thrive in an evolving field. Anchored in three core pillars: Building Systems, Deepening Knowledge and Skills, and Nurturing Collaboration, this forum offers a mix of hands-on workshops, peer dialogues, and strategic panels.
R.Evolución Latina
Train. Connect. Dare to Go Beyond.
R.Evolución Latina invites our community to join us this fall for affordable, high-quality performing arts training in a supportive and inspiring environment.Upcoming opportunities include RevLatina Dance Classes for Kids 10+, designed for young dancers with previous training who want to strengthen their technique, versatility, and confidence; a Vocal Salon with Broadway artist Justin Ramos; Theatre Dance with director/choreographer Luis Salgado; and their 5th Annual Musical Theatre Vocal Workshop, a six-week intensive focused on voice, acting, auditions, repertoire, and industry connection.Programs take place in Midtown Manhattan, with opportunities for young dancers, emerging artists, and performing professionals.
✨ Affordable training. Professional teaching artists. A community that grows together. Visit R.Evolución Latina for dates, details, and registration.
Dance Data Project®
Dance Data Project® (DDP) is proud to announce a groundbreaking initiative that builds on its mapmaking capabilities to create an easy-to-use platform that highlights local talent, bolsters regional arts economies, turns research into actionable infrastructure, and promotes further gender equity in the creative sector.
With the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, DDP has built an equitable, community-driven, locally and nationally searchable database of women creatives in previously male-dominated sectors of the performing arts: DDP Pro.
Alexander Sanger, a Trustee of The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, says, “We are pleased to support Dance Data Project’s DDP Pro. Since 2013, we have been funding the advancement of female choreography in the ballet world, as we have female composers in opera and symphonic music and female playwrights in theater. The underrepresentation of female creators in the performing arts was then, and continues to be, a national and international scandal. Significant improvement has happened since we started our programs and more will come when DDP Pro is launched nationwide and talents heretofore ignored are given a chance to flourish.”
DDP’s research has systematically documented the lack of gender parity in dance leadership for over 7 years. The most recent Season Overview report, tracking the 2025-2026 season of the Largest 150 companies, found that women choreographed only 32.9% of all performed works. Per DDP’s upcoming Season Announcements 2026-2027 Data Byte, 23 of the Largest 25 companies announced at least one all-male program in their main season, and no Largest 10 company announced an all-female program in its main season. Additionally, the abysmal trends found in dance are mirrored across the entire creative ecosystem; the Season Announcements Data Byte found that only 4.0% of works announced by the Largest 25 companies had a named female composer, and no announced works had a named female arranger. These issues echo across most creative industries, therefore solutions must encompass the full scope of creative careers.
Elizabeth “Liza” Yntema, Dance Data Project® Founder and President, states, “Moving an entire industry that has been stuck for half a century is going to take some time. We know that, but something needs to be done; the system today is not serving artists, local economies, or promoting newer and more interesting voices. We are working to reknit the fabric of the performing arts industry. One artist, one region, one community at a time.”
Nancy Dobbs Owen, Dance Data Project® External Communications Lead, agrees: “This platform converts DDP’s research into actionable infrastructure, expanding opportunity, strengthening local ecosystems, and embedding equity into the mechanics of how arts are produced nationwide. We are constantly challenged to do more and be the change. Here, we have created a fun, easy-to-use digital platform that supports local economies, women creatives, and gives an industry that is facing increasing production costs viable and appealing alternatives to the status quo.”
About DDPDDP's mission is to promote equity in dance by providing a metrics-based analysis while showcasing women-led companies, festivals, competitions, venues, special programs and initiatives. DDP creates opportunity for all women in dance and inspires and influences change towards the values and practices of gender equity.
Learn more at www.dancedataproject.com.
