"I Have A Dream" Broadway Musical (IHAD)

I'm an Actor, Director, and Producer with 47 years of experience in the Theatre industry. In 1974, I founded the LaVerne Players, Inc. during my years at North Carolina State University where I produced, directed, and performed in over 200 performances. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in 1983 with a Master of Fine Arts in Acting, I moved to New York City (NYC) and worked with Dr. Woodie King, Jr., touring 30+ productions nationally and internationally for the National Black Touring Circuit (NYC). 

In 1989, I helped create the National Black Theatre Festival, the world’s largest black theatre festival which attracts over 60,000 attendees biennially and has raised $700 million for the City of Winston-Salem and State of North Carolina.  

I'm currently the Executive Producer/Artistic Director for the "I Have A Dream" Broadway Musical which has toured to 140+ cities worldwide since 1983. 

I’m proposing a multi-city tour of IHAD because I am committed to solving the problem of racist attitudes, police brutality and hate crimes. IHAD elevates humanity because it educates, entertains, and unites people. The universality of IHAD parallels with the Black Lives Matter movement of today. This transformative musical theatre experience involves professional and local talent with color-blind casting, giving youth, young adults, adults and seniors of all races and socioeconomic levels a creative outlet to convey a message of nonviolence and racial unity. Newspaper and audience reviews over IHAD’s 35+ year touring history have demonstrated that experiencing the play as an audience member and performer has led many people to reflect on their social consciousness about activism and civic engagement. The production opens up channels of understanding of Dr. King’s non-violent movement and inspires people to push forward in fighting against racism.

We’re working to eliminate police brutality, hate crimes and racist attitudes in America. The scale of these problems is systemic and incalculable because we cannot put a dollar amount on the reparations due to people of color.  Racism adversely affects the lives of about 42 million African Americans, 58.9 million Hispanics, 14.7 million Asians, 5.2 million American Indian/Alaska Natives, and 1.5 million Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (US Census Bureau - Estimated total 122.3 million). Furthermore, our research indicates racism exists on all continents. 

A major factor contributing to the problems, as related to IHAD, is the stigma and lack of resources for Black institutions. Black theatre companies struggle with sponsorship, audience development, and community support due to the underlying view of their work as less credible than their White counterparts. The first Black theatre company was The African Grove Theatre. On their opening night of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” in 1821, an angry white mob burned down their building.   

Over the course of almost 200 years, Black artists and institutions have had to fight to secure their place in the fabric of American theatre. One of our main objectives in presenting IHAD is to send a clear message that Black Stories Matter. 

IHAD is a Broadway Gospel Musical written by the late Josh Greenfeld and presented by Herman LeVern Jones’ TheatreSouth (HLJTS). The musical chronicles the major events of the CRM from December 1, 1955 when Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on the bus to the assassination of Dr. King on April 4, 1968. The production is a two-hour multimedia experience with music, singing (20+ gospel songs), dancing, and more than 125 historical images from the CRM. 

IHAD is connected to the CRM of 2020 that has erupted as a result of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The IHAD production will include dialogue, images, and video that tells the stories of Floyd and other victims of police brutality such as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, etc. 

Our goal is to implement a 12-month tour to 8-12 cities over the course of 2021. In each community, we will cast local performers (experienced and inexperienced individuals of all ages, races, nationalities, gender identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds), who will go through an intensive rehearsal process that involves history, script analysis, and acting coaching.  

Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of the IHAD project. Each time IHAD has been presented, it has inevitably impacted people of different generations, races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and beliefs. The cast members have been as young as 7 years and as seasoned as 77 years. Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians have shared the stage saying Dr. King’s words. The true emphasis has been, in recent times, to create a mosaic featuring our youth with edu-tainment as a reachable goal. It is also imperative for our Black youth and young adults to be involved. As a Black male who grew up during the height of the CRM, I understand the importance of getting young Black Americans involved in IHAD and teaching them about the history of the CRM and its relationship to other historical periods. If they’re not in the production, audience participation becomes a tool to educate them on the story of their leaders. IHAD provides a safe and engaging environment for Black youth to express their frustrations with race relations in America and explore how they can be part of solving race-related issues. IHAD opens their minds to deeper intellect, knowledge, and artistic endeavors.  

The dynamic retelling of Dr. King’s involvement in the CRM causes people to reassess how they are part of the solution or problem when it comes to racism. Even though the U.S. and the world have come a long way in realizing racial equality, it still is an incredibly difficult problem that we face. This is clear when we look at how volatile and heated conversations get when people start talking about issues such as police brutality, Affirmative Action or White Privilege. IHAD is a project that creates driving action to solve the issue of racism.  

The IHAD production debuted on Broadway with Billy Dee Williams in 1976 at the Ambassador Theatre. After receiving my MFA in 1983, I moved to New York City and began working for Broadway Producer Dr. Woodie King, Jr., of the New Federal Theatre and the National Black Touring Circuit, Inc. Dr. King had procured the rights to IHAD and we organized a one-year tour. He was Artistic Director and I became Associate Producer, Tour Manager and Performer. It was my job to call companies around the country, lock in the contracts, and manage the team of performers in each city we traveled to. What we thought was going to be a one year stint has turned into 35+ years of performing in 140+ cities globally such as Manchester and Birmingham, England; Luxembourg, Germany; New York City, Dallas, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, in Winston Salem, North Carolina at the first National Black Theatre Festival in 1989. My vision is to keep expanding the production and experimenting with new forms of music, dance, acting, imagery, and technology. 

I am passionate about the IHAD project because it has allowed me to carry Dr. King’s legacy and be involved in the fight for racial justice. Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King saw IHAD, Yolanda King was a close friend of mine, and I have met several other Civil Rights leaders over the decades. What motivates me to keep producing IHAD is exposing youth and young adults to the intimate details of the CRM, teaching them about the leaders who supported Dr. King, turning them on to social activism, and watching their internal fire ignite when they perform on stage. I’ve seen this production bring about healing and understanding among people of different races, generations, and walks of life. Based on verbal and written feedback that I’ve received over the years, people are deeply moved by IHAD because it causes them to reflect and reconsider how they view and treat people of other races. I aim to get as many people involved with IHAD as possible because when it comes time for me to pass the torch, I want there to be a group of leaders ready to keep the legacy moving forward. 

My track record of success is evidenced through reviews, reference letters, and testimonials. I've maintained the production’s relevance through the following recent tours: 

• January 10, 2020: 2,500 students at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando.

• January 2019: Presentation in Des Moines as part of the Iowa Department of Human Rights Annual MLK Celebration. 

• January 2018: Full houses at the Fontaine Bleue and St. John’s College. Annapolis, Maryland.

• January 2017: 1,000 audience members at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in Coral Springs, Florida. 

In every venue, we’ve received standing ovations and rave reviews. I have full confidence in my ability to garner high community participation and positive reception of IHAD in each city I tour.    

Beyond IHAD, I have an extensive portfolio of directing, producing, and theatre arts leadership, including but not limited to:   

• Artistic Director - Madam C.J. Walker Urban Life Center in Indianapolis, IN, and the Grant Avenue Community Center’s Kean-Brown Center Stage in Plainfield, NJ. 

• Board member - New Federal Theatre, NYC

• Theatre Panelist - Ohio Arts Council, the Massachusetts Cultural Arts Council, Atlanta Cultural Arts Council, and South Carolina Arts Council.

• Professorship/Guest Director - UNC, The Ohio State University, University of Massachusetts, University of Rochester, Yale University, and Morris Brown College. 

• Guest Lead Lecturer - British American Arts Association Fellowship workshops called “Internationalizing the Local” (1990) held in theatres in London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Nottingham. 

• Guest Lecturer - Theatrical Management Association’s Seminar on Black Theatre at the Great Britain Conference in Birmingham, England.

During the 2013-14 season, IHAD performed at the South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center (SMDCAC). Fundraising was extremely challenging, to the point that IHAD almost didn’t happen. SMDCAC gave me a deadline to pay for the theatre and we had to raise $70,000 in about two months. Otherwise, the performances would be canceled. In 2013, I was still running my company out of Atlanta, so I was a new face to the South Florida community. My team had to quickly raise funds in a community in which we were total strangers. The days clicked by fast and the SMDCAC was becoming more aggressive about payment. During the day, my team was in back to back meetings with politicians, business owners, arts philanthropists, and administrators with the Miami-Dade County School system. At night, I was leading long rehearsals with the community performers. Our tireless fundraising efforts led us to the finish line. We were able to pay the SMDCAC and present IHAD to thousands of students and community residents. We held a Black Tie Gala featuring Atlanta Hawks NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and comedienne Lina M. Davis. IHAD was a huge success and All’s Well that End’s Well! 

In 1994, I worked with high school students at Tompkins Seneca Tioga Community School in Ithaca, New York. These were not your typical students. Some of these students were parents already. Others had children on the way. Some were victims of abuse and others struggled with drug addiction. Tompkins Seneca was a school for students whose life circumstances made it difficult, if not impossible, to succeed at the public schools in their home communities. Those young guys and girls were used to no one caring about them. They were accustomed to neglect, cruelty, abuse, and indifference. So, when I came along to get them involved in a play about homelessness called “Blues”, they were not enthused. I was met with unbelievable resistance and hostility, with some students even throwing the “n” word at me. My perseverance, leadership skills, and passion for the theatre propelled me to keep shedding light on their dark experiences and guide them toward a better life. When we finished with “Blues”, the students had become more focused and improved their grades from D’s and F’s to A’s and B’s. They developed an appreciation for the arts and became dedicated team players throughout our time working together.

IHAD is disruptive because it forces the conversation about the continued need to break down racism. IHAD alters the paradigm of race in a creative and non-violent way. IHAD is a world-class artistic experience that deepens audience members’ understanding of the struggle for basic human rights. The pathos of the production opens peoples’ minds and shifts their perspectives on race in the United States. These shifts in perspective eliminate hate crimes and racist attitudes, which ultimately elevates humanity.

Furthermore, the disruptive nature of our project will blend the CRM of the 1950s and 60s with the Black Lives Matter protests as a result of George Floyd’s death. This bridge between eras will be created through additional language in the IHAD script and a tribute to victims of police brutality at the end of the performances.

IHAD is innovative because it sends a clear message of racial unity and nonviolence during a time of civil disorder in the U.S. and around the world. IHAD is a means of combating highly charged rioting and re-enacting these turbulent times with the message of Dr. King and the Black Lives Matter movement. IHAD is a socially conscious project, that turns performance into protest and protest into performance.

Last but not least, IHAD is unique because it has withstood the test of time. After 35+ years, the play is still presented every year and continues to impact thousands of people of all ages.  

Here’s how IHAD creates change from short-term to long-term: 

Short-term/micro-changes 

Knowledge: IHAD provides a deeper understanding of the key leaders and events of the CRM. The production builds social, historical, and cultural awareness among community residents and visitors. 

Skills: IHAD builds skills among performers such as script analysis, reading comprehension, public speaking, body language awareness, creative problem-solving abilities, and technical skills (sound, lighting, video, etc.).

Attitudes:  IHAD changes perspectives on race. These changes in perspective lead to an improved overall attitude toward people of different races.  

Motivation: IHAD has the capacity to motivate people of all ages to further educate themselves on the issue of racism, which will ultimately transform them into more socially conscious individuals.  

Medium/Intermediate changes

Behavior: IHAD helps youth develop positive self-images through the discipline of the arts. Through participation in IHAD, young people tap into their artistic abilities.

Activities: There are a variety of community activism activities organized around the IHAD presentations such as voter registration, panel discussions and workshops on race relations in the United States, public forums with politicians, law enforcement and community leaders and peaceful marching.  

Long-term changes 

Social conditions: IHAD is a grassroots project that combines entertainment, education, emotion, and culture to inspire change.  

Economic conditions: IHAD provides Workforce Development for youth and young adults. Furthermore, it is our goal to brand IHAD as a business model, which will build awareness of the theatre business as a viable way to make a living and propel participants into various careers in the theatre industry including but no limited to administration, production/tour management, marketing, design, hair/cosmetics, props, tech, box office, front of house, entertainment law/accounting, etc. 

This project also supports audience development for the venues where IHAD is presented. Through the IHAD project, we are able to expose people to world-class theatre at an affordable price.

Political conditions: IHAD promotes voting as a vehicle for citizens to voice their opinions and bring about the changes they wish to see in American politics and lawmaking.  We will be partnering with civic organizations to create voter registration events in conjunction with the IHAD performances.  

As a resident theatre company at Florida Memorial University, we currently serve the students, faculty, staff, and administration which is approximately 2,000 people. The number of people that we will serve within the year depends on the amount of funding we are able to raise for the 2021 IHAD Tour. By winning the Elevate Prize grant, we will be able to complete a full-scale residency tour to two cities. In each city, we anticipate participation from at least 50 people as performers and approximately 10,000 audience members (this estimate is based on performing at least 10 times in a 1,000+ seat theatre). With financial support from corporations, grantors, and donors, we will be able to complete an 8-12 city tour and directly impact over 100,000 people.  As more entities embrace and support our work, we will tour to around 54 cities and directly impact approximately 1 million people in the next 5 years. 

We understand the need to safely accommodate our patrons in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that offering virtual theatre experiences for our audiences members is no longer optional. It is a requirement as theatre companies prepare to launch their seasons in the new normal that we are all faced with. Therefore, we will use all available technology and platforms to present IHAD virtually in addition to our live performances which will adhere to social distancing requirements.   

Our goal is to tour IHAD to 8-12 major cities in 2021. In the next 5 years, it is our goal to reach 54 cities. We aim to impact approximately 1 million people. We would like to expose smaller cities and large towns to IHAD as well. We want to reach the communities that are typically less frequented on theatrical or music tours such as Cheyenne, Billings, Iowa City, Omaha, Rapid City, Bend, etc. because these are the communities that are in even greater need of diversity and racial awareness. As mentioned before, we will follow all social distancing requirements and use the appropriate technology to reach our virtual audience. 

IHAD carries tremendous educational value and it is also our goal to incorporate the production into the school systems. We desire to host performances for students and use our IHAD Student & Teacher Guides as tools to engage students in a visceral way.  

Our overall dream is to revive IHAD on a Broadway stage. That is where the production will make the biggest impact. Broadway receives international attention and is therefore a necessary platform for IHAD. 

We will achieve our goals by pitching the IHAD production to investors, corporations, foundations, and theatre arts philanthropists. We will also work toward procuring celebrity involvement through guest appearances, speaking engagements, and cameo roles. Having celebrities involved will increase the visibility of IHAD because it is celebrities that grab people’s attention and get them excited about attending an event and/or participating in a project. 

Financial barrier: We need more corporate, foundation, and private support. The Elevate Prize would link us to a wide range of resources, partnerships, and other connective sources to create our national tour.  

Technical barriers: HLJTS needs to increase its capacity in the technical realm on our tour. The packaging of our entire technical design from technical director and crew, set, costumes, lighting, sound, and multimedia varies from venue to venue. We are always able to successfully implement the core artistic design, however, we need more strength in the aforementioned areas.   

Legal barrier: Large scale projects are susceptible to challenges with contracting, box office splits, etc. 

Cultural and Market barriers:  As mentioned before, the stigma of Black Theatre is a major barrier. In the year 2020, race is still a major problem and we have felt the full effects of discrimination as a Black Theatre company. There are setbacks to being a Black Theatre company and two of the most prominent are 1) Not getting as many bookings at major theatres as our Eurocentric counterpart and 2) Having the quality and credibility of our productions questioned. 

Financial barrier: Our best financial partner is Florida Memorial University (FMU).  This Historic Black College and University (HBCU) presently has over 2,000 students, administration, faculty and support personnel.  FMU has an annual budget between $40-45 million dollars.  FMU is committed to using their resources to support the IHAD project. The volunteer base with their alumni and students will be activated for support. Our base of operation is the Lou Rawls Center for the Performing Arts (440 seats).  Our board of advisors and directors are part of the who’s who in the South Florida region. 

The IHAD concept of edu-tainment and its 37 year history proves the project’s longevity and financial viability. HLJTS will continue to seek funding through corporations, private organizations, foundations, arts philanthropists, and crowdfunding (GoFund Me).  

Technical barriers: We will hire additional tech support for our touring needs. Furthermore, per every tour destination, the technical staff at the theatres and in the community will be encouraged to support our workforce concept.  

Legal barrier: We will retain an entertainment attorney to oversee and advise on all aspects of contracting.   

Cultural and Market barriers:  We will leverage our identity as a Black theatre company to apply for funding that is designated for Black or Minority-Owned Businesses. We will also emphasize the diverse nature of our casting and productions. Furthermore, we will form partnerships with other Black organizations to enhance our strategic partnerships, fundraising, advertisement, and community engagement. 

We are currently a contracted resident theatre company at Florida Memorial University, the only HBCU in South Florida. We also have strong partnerships with a variety of organizations throughout South Florida. Below is a list and a short description of how they support us:  

•  The Jones Companies: Management Consulting and Marketing Strategy

•  Friends of HLJTS: Fundraising 

•  EarthSave Miami: Promotion, Financial and Social Media 

•  New Florida Majority: Fundraising, market strategy  

•  Princess Training, Inc.: Business Development, Strategic Partnerships  

•  Michael Joseph Brink Foundation: Summer Program Sponsorship

•  Excel Kids Academy: Fundraising, Strategic partnerships 

•  The JBS Foundation: Educational Outreach and Contract procurement   

•  Blanche Ely High School: Storage Space and Student volunteerism

• The Global Cottage, Inc.: Grant Writing and strategic partnerships 

• University of Southern California Institute for Genetic Medicine Art Gallery  

• Laugh Norfolk Productions, LLC: Research, Playwriting, Fundraising

• TV Media, Inc.: Marketing, Strategy, Videography, and Tech 

• Student Leadership Development, LLC: Grant writing, Recruiting, Strategic Planning

• Peace Education Art Communication (PEAC) Institute: Marketing and Human Relationships 

• Los Angeles Civil and Human Rights Department: Advisory Group

• Healing Arts Medicine: Developing workshops 

Our business model is theatre production and education through Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). The STEAM approach provides the creative and innovative thought that perpetuates fresh approaches to our most pressing challenges and a pathway to technical careers in the theatre industry and beyond.

Impact: 

We implement both theory and practice with each of our theatre projects. We provide hands-on learning experiences for youth, young adults, adults, and seniors. The inclusion of the intergenerational cast members creates a reciprocal learning curve between youth and elders an exciting and charged learning environment.   

We provide holistic theatre training in the areas of acting, directing, producing, stage management, marketing, media, front of house management, costuming, props, hair/make-up, tech (sound, lighting, video, etc.)  

Key beneficiaries are middle school, high school, and college students (enhancing the core curriculum of the school, providing community service hours, college credit through drama classes, extra credit, etc.) community actors, singers, dancers, musicians (supporting professional development, boosting resumes, providing job opportunities in the theatre). Key beneficiaries receive rich history lessons through involvement in our edutainment productions. 

Revenue:

• Free training for amateur performers

• Paid jobs for professionals

• Tickets sales

• Merchandising 

• Sponsorship and advertisement

The communities serviced want and need these benefits because storytelling is the heart of human existence. Every human yearns to find a creative outlet to communicate and express themselves conveying their message to the world. IHAD supports this concept and process.  

HLJTS operating strategy is to create internal organizational structure with external partnerships and human resources.

Fundraising and Revenue:

• Procurement of corporate, foundation, private and philanthropic giving.

• Streams of revenue such as ticket sales, donations, playbill advertisement, and merchandise. 

• Building a GoFund Me

 Radio Drama and Podcasting: 

We will develop a radio and podcast series based in South Florida and broadcast statewide, regionally, nationally, and internationally. We will hire a team of writers to create the synopsis and scripts for one-hour length episodes that consist of diverse and family-friendly subject matter including but not limited to history, religion, race, environment, social, and economic issues. The episodes will be drama comedies with music performed by local (or celebrity) actors, actresses, singers, and musicians. The Radio Drama and podcasts will display the creative talent and subject matter of South Florida and the United States. The series will become a means of entertainment and education for both live audiences and radio listeners. We will launch the program at Florida Memorial University’s radio station and expand to radio stations at other universities and media facilities.

Other Initiatives for Sustainability:

•  Nurturing relationships with other institutions of higher learning

•  Creating a “Friends of TheatreSouth” and membership campaign

•  Engaging NPR for special features and developing human interest stories in the arts

•  Promoting TheatreSouth through the National Black Theatre Festival

•  Writing a book entitled 1989 (the story of Artistic Director and Executive Producer, Herman LeVern Jones’s role in designing the festival) and selling copies

Below is the funding and in-kind support received in the last 12 months:

EarthSave Miami, Inc. 

• $20,000 in 12 months 

The Jones Company 

• $22,000 in the past 12 months 

HLJTS Board of Directors  

• Herman LeVern Jones - $30,000 in 12 months 
• Samantha Davis - $10,000 in the past 12 months 
• Carolyn Jones - $38,500 in the past 12 months 
• Jacovia Farrington (Private Donor) - $18,000 in 12 months 

Florida Memorial University 

• Organization of a student field trip to a theatre venue in Miami - $3,000 received in April 2019 
• In-kind Office and Theatre Space: $36,000 in the past 12 months 
• Teaching an Art Appreciation Class: $7,000 received in January 2020

Mad River Theater Works 

• Directing a play, “Walk On: The Story of Rosa Parks” in theatre in Ohio - $4,000 received in November 2019

ReJoice in the Lord Ministries 

• Presenting of IHAD at Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando- $9,000 received on January 10, 2020 

MatSu Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation

• Presenting “I Have A Dream” Broadway Musical as a Theatre Residency in Palmer, Alaska - $50,000 in installments of $5,000 with last payment received in April 2020

Excel Kids Academy

• Teaching theatre classes to K-5 students - $2,625.00 received in June 2020 and a balance of $1,875 due in July 2020

Laugh Norfolk Productions, LLC - $10,000 in 12 months 

Small Business Administration 

• COVID-19 Disaster Relief and Assistance - $15,000 received as of June 2020

TOTAL FUNDS RECEIVED: $277,000.00

We are seeking all funds in the form of grants and sponsorship. Our goal is to raise approximately $1.5 million by March 2021. Below is a list of entities from which we are seeking funding. Please note this list is not exhaustive and does not include the Elevate Prize:

• Shubert Foundation..............................................      200,000      

• Starbucks…………………………………………………....................       50,000

• Netflix……………………………………………………......................       50,000 

• Target Corporation……………………………………...................        25,000

• McDonald’s Corporation………………………………..................       50,000

• Michael Jordan Foundation……………………………................        25,000

• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).......................        75,000

• National Endowment for the Humanities………………..........        35,000

• State of Florida……………………………………………..................        10,000

• Miami Dade Department of Cultural Affairs…………….........          7,500

• NEA Our Town Grant……………………………………...................      200,000

• Rockefeller Foundation...........................................       250,000

• Michael Joseph Brink Foundation……………………..............…         7,000

• Mary Duke Biddle Foundation………………………….................       15,000

• Google Foundation………………………………………....................     100,000

• Kellogg Foundation………………………………………....................     100,000

Subtotal …………………………………………………………….....................$ 1,199,500

There are several major companies that are withdrawing their advertising dollars from Facebook due to Mark Zuckerberg’s failure to rectify his company’s hate speech policies. The action that these companies are taking against Facebook demonstrates their social consciousnesses and commitment to racial equality. Therefore, my team and I are targeting these companies to request financial support. Below are some of the companies and the amount of support we seek: 

• Coca-Cola………………………………………………….........................$ 100,000

• Hershey’s Foundation………………………………….....................…     25,000

• Ford Foundation………………………………………….......................     20,000

• American Honda Foundation……………………………...................     20,000

• Microsoft Foundation……………………………………......................    150,000

• Patagonia…………………………………………………..........................      20,000

Subtotal…………………………………………………………........................…    335,000

Grand Total Request…………………………………………….....................$1,534,500

In 2020, we’ve incurred approximately $55,000 in expenses through March 31st. The pandemic significantly decreased our expenses since we are not currently producing live performances. From April 1st - July 10th, we incurred $26,600. We do not anticipate any live production expenses for the rest of 2020. Our overhead costs for the rest of the year will total about $53,200, making our grand total 2020 expenses $134,800. 

Once we can safely begin touring again in 2021, we will incur the expenses below for each city: 

• Royalties (Fee to Playwright)  $6,000
• Executive Producer (General Manager) $13,500
• Chief Financial Officer  $7,500
• Associate Producer $6,000
• Technical Director and Crew  $7,500
• Marketing Firm $17,500
  • (Marketing Director, Publicist, Street Team, Social Media,
• Graphic Design, Materials, etc.)
• Advertising  $25,000
  • (Electronic billboard, Radio, Newspaper, Television, Magazine, Social Media, etc.)
• Accounting Firm (Bookkeeper, CPA) - $3,000
• Entertainment Attorney $5,000
• Artistic Director $8,000
• Music Director/Pianist $9,000
• Choreographer $6,000
• Stage Manager $2,000
• Assistant Stage Manager (2 x $1,500) $3,000
• Actors/Singers/Dancers - $18,000
• Musicians (Music Director & Musicians) - $9,000
• Videographer/Photographer - $4,000
• Set designer $1,500
• Lighting Designer $1,500
• Media Designer $1,500
• Sound Designer $1,500
• Costumer/Hairdresser/Make-up Artist/Pro $3,000
• Theatre Expenses (Self-Produced) $20,000
  • (Venue rental, security, box office, labor/stagehands, set construction, truck rental, sound company, etc.)
• Transportation (Airfare, car, van or cargo rental) $15,000
• Housing  $15,000
• Miscellaneous $17,950
  • (Insurances, certificates, additional marketing/tech support, lobby & STEM display, opening night reception, special guests, or workshops, etc.)  

• Grand Total $197,450

I am applying for the Elevate Prize because receiving this grant would allow my company to overcome the following barriers: 

Financial: Winning the Elevate Prize would create a powerful launching point in our fundraising campaign. We would be able to use this award as leverage to receive funding from the aforementioned entities (NEA, Target, Our Town, etc.).  

Technical: We will be able to allocate a portion of funds from the Elevate Prize to hiring additional production tech support. 

Legal: We will be able to retain an entertainment attorney throughout the production tour.

Cultural and Market: The Elevate Prize will increase our visibility as a black theatre company with a world-class Broadway Musical on Dr. King. 

In addition to helping break the barriers listed above, the Elevate Prize will bring international attention to the IHAD project and further channel the consciousness of American citizens toward racial equality. The Elevate Prize will lift IHAD to the same level as other commercially successful productions such as The Lion and Hamilton and reinforce the branding of IHAD as a Broadway production. 

Most importantly, The Elevate Prize will exalt humanity by getting the message of Dr. King and non-violence out to the world.  We will have a greater impact through community involvement at the highest level.  

Networking and developing strong partnerships for the future of the IHAD project is critical.  One of our main goals is to strengthen our administration which will create  stability and visibility for IHAD. Another major goal is to increase our online presence via web development, social media, podcasting, videography, and photography. Furthermore, we need to integrate IHAD into mainstream media such as National Public Radio, CNN, NBC News, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), etc.  

We need partners to expand IHAD from a once a year celebration of Dr. King to a year round testimony of his legacy along with other fallen heroes like George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Stephon Clark, etc. 

Our partners will also help organize marches, procure guest/celebrity speakers from each community, and create workshops in financial literacy, voter registration, and S.T.E.M. 

Below is a list (not exhaustive) of entities that we strongly desire to develop partnerships with and examples of how we believe they will be able to support IHAD:

• Rockefeller Foundation - Sponsorship, strategic partnerships, marketing 

• MIT Solve 

  • Professional management and development services, 

  • Mentorship and coaching

  • Educational training, capacity building, and connection with influencers and industry leaders

  • A tailored media and marketing campaign aimed at amplifying building recognition for the IHAD project. 

• National Action Network – Tour development, strategic partnerships, marketing, organizing marches and community activism events 

• NAACP – Tour development, strategic partnerships, marketing

• Black Lives Matter – Tour development, fundraising, organizing peaceful protests, and community activism events

• Southern Christian Leadership Conference – Marketing, media promotions

• Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee – Marketing, media promotions

•  Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama – Organizing community engagement and civic events such as voter registration, speaking panels, workshops, etc.

• The Shubert Foundation – The return of IHAD to Broadway

• National Public Radio – Developing special feature segments and a human-interest story on IHAD  

• Microsoft - Technology 

• Netflix - Documentary of the tour

• Delta Airlines - Long DistanceTransportation 

• Marriott Hotels - Housing

• U Haul - Local and long distance Transportation for moving equipment, etc. 

• Hertz Rental - Local Transportation for personnel

• Home Depot - Supplies and set materials 

• Boys and Girl Club - Youth participation