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Reimagining Theatre

Our mission

Black Theatre United’s mission is to champion access, representation, equity, and inclusion throughout the American theatre and our communities.

Black Theatre United envisions a community – and a world – that values, nurtures and celebrates the rich mosaic of human experiences through theatre.

We create pathways for the next generation of theatre professionals—offering access, support, and mentorship to help them thrive in the industry and carry the legacy of theatre forward.

We work to empower our community with tools to take action and help shape a future rooted in justice and accountability.

Program Spotlight

2025 Gala

2025 Gala

An unforgettable evening with star-studded performances, inspiring honorees, and a celebration of Black excellence across arts and culture. All proceeds support BTU’s programs building equity, access, and opportunity for the next generation of Black theatre leaders.

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Transformative Programs Building Access & Equity

Our programs forge new opportunities for Black creatives at every stage—whether you're a student, designer, or theatre professional. Explore mentorship, training, and storytelling pipelines designed to elevate Black talent.

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01

broadway bound educational program

A transformative 15-week initiative designed to bring the magic of Broadway to public schools in underrepresented, low-economic communities. The BTU Broadway program, taking place during the fall and spring semester of each school year, aims to integrate Common Core standards into a dynamic Broadway theory and theatrics curriculum.

02

Broadway Marketing Internship Program

This eight-week internship program opens doors for emerging Black talent across all aspects of theatre marketing and advertising. Interns are placed with top agencies in NYC, gaining hands-on experience in areas like media buying, creative direction, social media strategy, and campaign development.

03

BTU Designer Initiative

Centering BTU’s mission of developing programming and providing pathways for up-and-coming and early-career professionals, this new initiative focuses on all the various fields of design: scene design, lighting design, costume design, wig/hair design, makeup design, sound design, projection/video design, and special effects design.

04

BTU Marva Hicks Musical Theatre Scholarship

The scholarship will support one student studying musical theater at Marva Hicks’ alma mater, Howard University. Every year for the four years of training, a student, who reveals exceptional talent in the musical theater field, academic excellence and financial need, will receive this coveted merit scholarship of $10,000.00 in memory of the career and artistic legacy of Marva Hicks.

05

The Business Show

The Business of Show is an ongoing discussion series created by Black Theatre United to provide a platform for exploring the critical issues facing the creative community. Past events have tackled topics such as meeting the Founders of BTU, networking and mentorship, navigating DEI in today’s legal landscape, the ins and outs of producing, and much more. Each event features conversations with industry professionals, offering attendees the opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful dialogue about the challenges and opportunities that matter most.

06

BTU Townhall

BTU Town Halls bring together founders, experts, and cultural leaders for live and virtual discussions that educate, amplify urgent issues, and mobilize the Black community and its allies for collective action.

07

A new deal for broadway

The New Deal is a list of commitments and aspirations compiled by leaders in our industry that would ignite change and build sustainable practices committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in our theater community.

08

BTU Rise

Created in honor of the beloved performer, the Marva Hicks Musical Theater Scholarship supports rising stars at Howard University—the alma mater that shaped Hicks’ extraordinary career. Awarded annually based on merit and financial need, this $10,000 scholarship uplifts one exceptional musical theatre student each year, supporting them throughout their undergraduate journey.

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