As noted on its website, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs is the largest cultural funding agency in the nation, with a fiscal year 2014 expense budget of $156 million and a capital budget of $822 million over the next four years.

Rivers, executive producer for New Heritage Theatre Group, said this about the decision by a panel of their peers, “They don’t believe it’s possible for us to produce our programs using such a small staff.” It was claimed that the theatres did not produce the programs they promised.

Rivers and King, founding director of New Federal Theatre, agreed they no longer have peers but “people that do not like us, and have no understanding for what we do and our impact in the community.” Brown, executive director of New Ensemble Company, said the Black community is hurt the most by the department’s decision.

A flyer circulating on social media reads:

We are being informed that panels “of our peers” have determined OUR VOICE to be undeserving of city cultural funding. We need your support! Please write to and make your voices known to The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Express your concerns regarding the drastic cuts in funding and/or the re-funding to three of our historic Black theatre organizations.

Supporters are encouraged to write to: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, 31 Chambers Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10007. With Finkelpearl on indefinite sick leave, as noted at the meeting, emails are requested to be sent to: Kathleen Hughes, assistant commissioner of Program Services, KHughes(at)culture.nyc.gov.

Although not stated, contacting the Borough president’s office and New York City Council representative also would be impactful.

To affirm “our art, our culture, our heritage is relevant,” NEC’s website noted the following attendees: Linda Walton, director of Harlem Arts Alliance; Jonathan McCrory, National Black Theater; Rome Neal, Nuyorican Poets Cafe; Michael Green, Shades of Truth; Marcia Pendleton, Walk Tall Girl Productions; Robin Bell Stevens, Jazz Mobile; and The World Famous Apollo staffers; as well as members of the Latin, Native and Asian communities.

The post Call For Action: 3 Major New York Black Theatres De-Funded appeared first on Broadway Black.

@BroadwayBlack tell your friends! https://t.co/ePtLhRPnEB

— Tituss Burgess (@TitussBurgess) June 10, 2015

The first session will be held June 22-23 from 11am-4pm and the second session will be June 29-30 from 11am-4pm.

This is an incredible opportunity for artists to get up close and personal with this great talent to learn all of his tricks of the trade and have their own talent enhanced and fine tuned! To be considered, artists must send a video of themselves singing a song of their choosing along with a current head shot and résumé to Titussmasterclass2015@gmail.com. Your admission includes two new selections for your musical theatre book chosen by Tituss to be coached by him during the class.

The admission fee is $250 and the deadline for audition submissions is June 17.

Set up your camera, sip your warm tea and sing like you want this! Remember, you are Broadway Black!

Watch the master at work below as we sings his rendition of HOME from The Wiz years before he was Unbreakable with Kimmy Schimdt.

The post It’s A Miracle! Tituss Burgess Offers Master Class appeared first on Broadway Black.