😮🎭 Lin-Manuel Miranda Unleashes R.I.S.E. Network for a Grand Broadway Remix! 🌈💼
TL;DR:
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the maestro behind “Hamilton,” has cranked up the volume on Broadway’s diversity scene with his new R.I.S.E. Network! His mission? To transform Broadway’s backstage, normally dominated by white professionals, into a dazzling kaleidoscope of diverse talent.💪🌍
Now, who’s ready for a Broadway glow-up, people? 🎭✨ We’ve got our man Lin-Manuel Miranda, the genius behind “Hamilton,” setting the stage for an epic transformation. He’s cooked up an exciting plan to boost diversity in theatres, not just on Broadway, but all across the nation. How? By launching the Representation, Inclusion and Support for Employment Theater Network – R.I.S.E. for the cool kids out there. 🚀
This is not just another musical score, folks. R.I.S.E. Network is going big, creating a directory of talented, diverse offstage professionals. From stagehands to producers and general managers, it’s all about making the leap from having a “talk about diversity” to actually “walking the diversity walk.”🚶♀️🚶♂️🌈
Miranda’s words, “Now, it’s about backing that up,” truly hit home. He is determined to ensure that the beauty we witness on stage in productions like ‘Hamilton’ or ‘MJ (The Musical)’ or ‘Fat Ham’ is also echoed backstage. Isn’t it time the spotlight fell on the talented backstage crew who make these productions a reality? 🛠️💄👔
But, here’s a question for you, reader: Why has it taken so long for such an initiative to roll out? 🕰️🤔
Remember that startling 2021 report from the Asian American Performers Action Coalition? It showed that during the 2018-2019 season, 100% of general managers and a whopping 94% of producers were white. Plus, 80% of lead roles in musicals and 90% of lead roles in plays were played by white actors.
Some steps have been taken since then, like “A New Deal for Broadway” in 2021. Still, we can’t help but ask, “Is this enough?” 😕
Miranda’s friend, composer Georgia Stitt, helped breathe life into the R.I.S.E. Network. Inspired by director Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY initiative, the network promises to be a game-changer in the theatre industry. The Miranda Family Fund was instrumental in launching the project, supporting the directory, which is free for all those looking for work or looking to hire. 🎶💻
Excitingly, R.I.S.E. Network launched with nearly 1,000 theatre professionals in the directory, and they are planning to expand after this promising start. How incredible is that! 🎉
We’d like to wrap up this act with words from Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League. She views the initiative as not just good for business, but also the right thing to do, stating, “This is good for business and the right thing to do.”👏💯
Now, folks, a final thought for you to ponder: With the launch of the R.I.S.E. Network, what’s next for Broadway? Will we soon see a Broadway where diversity is not just a tagline, but a lived reality? 🤔💭
Chew on that, and let’s keep the conversation going!
