Black Theatre United

What Black Theatre United does

Black Theatre United (BTU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020 and headquartered at 57 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York. Its mission is to champion access, representation, equity, and inclusion throughout American theatre through awareness, advocacy, and accountability. The organization was established by 18 prominent Black artists, performers, and policy leaders — including Audra McDonald, Billy Porter, Kenny Leon, LaChanze, Vanessa Williams, Wendell Pierce, Norm Lewis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Anna Deavere Smith — and operates with a lean team of four core staff (Executive Director, Business Dev & Partnerships Manager, Programs Manager, Administrative Assistant) supported by a Board of Directors.

BTU delivers a portfolio of nine interconnected programs spanning education, professional development, and industry advocacy. These include the BTU Rise Marketing and Press Internship (an 8-week paid summer program placing students at Broadway agencies Serino Coyne, AKA, Situation, and SpotCo), the Broadway Bound Educational Program (a 15-week Common Core-aligned theatre curriculum run twice yearly in underserved public charter schools), the BTU Designer Initiative (a three-phase program for emerging theatrical designers including the Design Hub resource directory and Design Expo), the Marva Hicks Musical Theatre Scholarship ($10,000 annually for four years to a Howard University student, plus NYU Tisch summer intensive scholarships), The Business Of Show discussion series, the BTU Townhall community forums, and A New Deal for Broadway (a DEIA accountability framework with 100+ industry signatories, overseen with Dr. Nicole Johnson of The Harriet Tubman Effect).

The business model is donation- and philanthropy-driven. Revenue flows through tiered individual donations ($5–$2,500 via Stripe), corporate sponsorships and partnerships, designated program giving, and an annual fall fundraising gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom (the 2024 gala raised over $1.2 million). The underlying technology platform is modest: a Webflow website, Stripe payment processing, a YouTube-hosted documentary series ("Before the Curtain Rises"), and a web-based Design Hub resource directory — with no AI/ML capabilities, proprietary software products, or venture-style funding rounds disclosed. The customer base spans student beneficiaries, emerging and early-career professionals, corporate partners, and individual donors, with operational reach concentrated in New York City and national impact delivered through educational and internship partnerships.

Name

Black Theatre United

Legal name

Black Theatre United

Website

https://blacktheatreunited.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Theatre United is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 that advocates for equity in American theatre through scholarships, paid internships, school-based arts education, and industry accountability, serving students, emerging Black artists, and Broadway partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Contributions: Black Theatre United operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 85-2146037) that generates revenue primarily through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and philanthropic contributions. Donation tiers range from $5 to $2,500, with specific programs funded through designated giving campaigns.
2. Annual Gala Revenue: Annual fundraising gala held each fall in New York City at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. The gala features performances, honoree recognition, and corporate sponsorship opportunities. 2024 gala raised over $1.2 million.
3. Corporate Internship Sponsorship: Partner companies (Serino Coyne, AKA, Situation, SpotCo) employ BTU Rise interns as full-time workers during the 8-week program, contributing to workforce development costs including $17/hour wages, housing at St. John's University, and transit support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Black Theatre United (BTU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that champions access, representation, equity, and inclusion throughout American theatre through a portfolio of programs. Its offerings include paid internship placements (BTU Rise), a Common Core-aligned school theatre curriculum (Broadway Bound), design career resources (BTU Designer Initiative and Design Hub), HBCU scholarships (Marva Hicks), community forums (BTU Townhall), a DEIA accountability framework (New Deal for Broadway), and an annual gala fundraiser.

Product overview

Black Theatre United operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs focused on advocacy, education, and professional development for Black artists and theatre professionals. The organization's offerings include the BTU Rise Marketing and Press Internship Program (paid placements in Broadway marketing agencies), Broadway Bound Educational Program (school-based theatre curriculum), BTU Designer Initiative (design career support with three phases including video series, resource hub, and expo), BTU Marva Hicks Musical Theatre Scholarship (HBCU student financial support), The Business Of Show (discussion panels), BTU Townhall (community forums), A New Deal For Broadway (DEIA accountability framework), BTU Gala (annual fundraiser), and the Design Hub (resource directory). These programs collectively serve students, emerging professionals, and established artists through scholarships, internships, mentorship, and advocacy initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BTU: Common abbreviation for Black Theatre United used in branding and communications

Products and services

• BTU Rise Marketing and Press Internship Program An eight-week paid summer internship placing undergraduate students in Broadway marketing and press agencies (Serino Coyne, AKA, Situation Interactive) with mentorship, housing at St. John's University, and MetroCard transit support.
• Broadway Bound Educational Program A 15-week school-year initiative implemented twice a year that brings a Common Core-aligned Broadway theatre curriculum to public charter schools in underrepresented, low-economic communities.
• BTU Designer Initiative A three-phase program supporting emerging and early-career theatrical design professionals through educational video content, a centralized resource database, and an industry expo across disciplines including scenic, lighting, costume, sound, projection, and special effects design.
• BTU Marva Hicks Musical Theatre Scholarship A scholarship program awarding $10,000 annually to one Howard University student pursuing musical theatre over four years, plus two Howard students receiving full scholarships to NYU Tisch's New Studio on Broadway Musical Theatre Summer Intensive.
• The Business Of Show A discussion series featuring panels and group discussions on Black theatrical landscape topics including mentorship, career development, financial literacy, and community building, with video content.
• BTU Townhall Community forums held live or virtually where BTU founders, industry experts, and celebrity allies engage in dialogue around urgent cultural and industry issues.
• A New Deal For Broadway An accountability framework with over 100 signatories comprising commitments and aspirations for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in theatre, including annual summits and oversight by BTU and Dr. Nicole Johnson of the Harriet Tubman Effect.
• BTU Gala The organization's annual premier fundraising event held each fall at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City, featuring performances, honorees, and celebrity appearances to fund BTU's initiatives; the 2024 gala raised over $1.2 million.
• BTU Design Hub A web-based directory database of resources and opportunities in multi-disciplinary theatrical design fields including training programs, master classes, internships, fellowships, grants, and mentorship opportunities across lighting, scenography, sound, costume, and other design disciplines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.2 million raised at 2024 Gala
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Serino CoynecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading entertainment marketing agency hosting BTU Rise interns during 8-week summer program. Interns work alongside marketing professionals gaining experience in Broadway advertising.
• AKAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntertainment marketing agency hosting BTU Rise interns during 8-week summer program as part of the Broadway Marketing and Press Internship initiative.
• Situation InteractivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntertainment marketing company hosting BTU Rise interns during summer internship program, providing hands-on experience in Broadway marketing and press.
• SpotCosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntertainment marketing agency hosting one returning BTU Rise alum through a separate alumni-only fellowship track, separate from the main intern application process.
• St. John's UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueens campus provides apartment-style housing for BTU Rise interns during the 8-week summer program. Housing is a 5-minute walk to train stations and 40 minutes to Times Square.
• Howard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious HBCU partner for Marva Hicks Musical Theatre Scholarship. One Howard student receives $10,000 annual scholarship over four years of undergraduate study in musical theatre.
• NYU Tisch School of the Arts - New Studio on BroadwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternationally acclaimed musical theatre summer intensive program. Two Howard University students apply annually for full scholarships through the Marva Hicks Musical Theatre Scholarship program.
• Dr. Nicole Johnson / The Harriet Tubman EffectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversight and accountability partner for the New Deal for Broadway initiative, working alongside BTU and a committee of signatories to advance DEIA commitments.
• Broadway Advertising and Press AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with leading Broadway advertising and press agencies enables BTU Rise internship program, providing real-world experience for emerging marketing talent.
• Organizations, Brands, Theatres, and Corporate SponsorssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBTU welcomes partnerships with entities sharing the mission to uplift, amplify, and support Black artists and communities in performing arts. Partnership categories include program support, event collaboration, brand visibility, and educational funding.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Black Theatre: National Black Theatre is a Tony-honored Harlem-based nonprofit producing theatre, training artists, and building community around Black storytelling. It is a direct peer to BTU because both are Black-led nonprofit theatre organizations focused on advancing Black artists, producing programming, and providing pathways for emerging talent in the U.S.
• Theatre Communications Group (TCG): TCG is the national service organization for the American theatre, serving nonprofit theatres through programs, publications, and advocacy. It is a direct peer to BTU as a mission-driven nonprofit supporting the U.S. theatre field with a portfolio of programs, advocacy, and resources aimed at professional development and inclusion.
• Dramatists Guild Foundation: Dramatists Guild Foundation is a nonprofit supporting playwrights, composers, and lyricists through financial grants, emergency aid, and community programs. It is a direct peer to BTU as a theatre-adjacent nonprofit providing financial support, education, and advocacy services to a specific segment of the theatre community.
• The Actors Fund: The Actors Fund is a national nonprofit providing social services, health support, and career programs for performing arts and entertainment professionals. BTU is comparable because both serve the financial, professional, and community needs of theatre professionals through nonprofit programs and donor-supported service delivery.
• American Theatre Wing: American Theatre Wing is a nonprofit service organization that administers the Tony Awards and runs educational and emerging-professional programs (including the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative). It is a direct peer to BTU as a national theatre nonprofit focused on nurturing the next generation of theatre makers and expanding access.
• Theatre Development Fund (TDF): TDF is a New York-based nonprofit dedicated to making theatre accessible and affordable through programs like TKTS and accessibility services for audiences and artists. It is a direct peer to BTU because both are mission-driven nonprofit organizations serving the Broadway ecosystem with programs spanning accessibility, education, and community engagement.
• National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO): NAATCO is a New York-based nonprofit dedicated to affirming Asian American identity through theatre production and community programs. It is a direct peer to BTU because both are nonprofit organizations advancing the visibility, professional development, and representation of an underrepresented community in American theatre.
• National Hispanic Theatre (Teatro Avante / National Hispanic Cultural Arts Center): National Hispanic Cultural Arts Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit advancing Hispanic performing arts through production, education, and advocacy. It is a direct peer to BTU because both are community-focused arts nonprofits addressing representation gaps and supporting emerging artists from underrepresented backgrounds in American theatre.

Broad incumbents

• Roundabout Theatre Company: Roundabout Theatre Company is a major New York nonprofit producing Broadway and Off-Broadway productions and hosting an annual gala. It is a broad incumbent peer to BTU — Roundabout honored BTU at its inaugural gala, indicating overlap in the broader nonprofit Broadway ecosystem, though Roundabout is primarily a producing institution rather than an advocacy organization.

Others

• The Broadway League: The Broadway League is the national trade association for Broadway theatre operators and producers. It is a peripheral peer to BTU because its members (Broadway theatres, producers) are the institutional counterparts to BTU's signatory base on the New Deal for Broadway, making it a natural counterparty for industry advocacy and partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BLKTheatreUnite
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackTheatreUnited
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blacktheatreunited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Theatre United