Theatre Producers of Color Brings Back Producing 101 for Aspiring BIPOC Producers

By Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill

Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC) is bringing its annual education program Producing 101 back in 2024. The 11-week program invites aspiring BIPOC producers to a tuition-free curriculum that teaches them the fundamentals of commercial production. Covering development paths, financing, budgeting, and more, the program also puts the young producers with experienced BIPOC and white ally mentors.

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Sessions will include guest speakers from the industry and real-time Broadway production case studies. Each cohort member will also select a personal project or a current Broadway production on which to practice applying tools shared during sessions, with those tools including creating pitch materials for investors and co-producers, navigating an eight-show week in an precarious financial climate, and selecting the most viable development steps for projects.

Producer Sammy Lopez will serve as the overall program mentor for this year’s cohort, giving them a safe space for learning and providing the necessary guidance for them to become future leaders.

“The strength of this organization lies in building community and sharing industry knowledge to support and nurture the next generation of diverse producers and theatre makers,” says Lopez in a statement. “We are excited to bring our industry colleagues into our sessions, continuing to expand the impact Theatre Producers of Color has made on the entertainment industry by welcoming a new cohort to our community.”

Learn more.

Programs like this are important to ensure the arts aren’t whitewashed.

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