Behind the Scenes: Careers On and Off Broadway Panel 11/8

On Monday, November 8, 2010, Behind the Scenes: Careers On and Off Broadway, a free panel discussion highlighting backstage careers in theatre, will take place at the Apollo Theater, presented by the Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, the Apollo Theater Education Program, and the Broadway League. The panel, which is open to the public, will begin at 6:30pm.

The panel will be composed of theatre professionals who have had successful careers working on Broadway and in other theatrical venues. Behind the Scenes: Careers On and Off Broadway will provide students and interested New Yorkers with firsthand accounts about what it's like to work in a creative position in the theatre. Panelists will also share their career advice with the audience on how best to get started in the City's thriving production industry.

Roma Torre, NY1's anchor and theatre critic, will moderate. A Q&A session will follow.

Panelists for Behind the Scenes: Careers On and Off Broadway include:

Kevin Adams - lighting designer (American Idiot, Spring Awakening)

Marion J. Caffey - writer, director, choreographer (3 Mo' Divas, Three Mo' Tenors)

Micki Grant - composer/lyricist, playwright (Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope; Your Arms Too Short to Box with God)

Ann Hould-Ward - costume designer (A Free Man of Color, Beauty and the Beast)

Ruthlyn Salomons - associate choreographer (The Lion King, The Color Purple)

Kenny Seymour -conductor/musical director (Memphis)

The panel begins at 6:30 pm. Doors open at 6pm. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. RSVP to events@media.nyc.gov. Panelists are subject to change. The Apollo Theater is located at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd and Frederick Douglass Blvd.

"New York City is home to thousands of New Yorkers who make their living working behind the scenes," said Commissioner Katherine Oliver. "Our office is committed to diversifying our local industry through educational and workforce development programs, like our ‘Careers in Entertainment' panel series and the ‘Made in NY' PA Training Program, so that more women, people of color, and economically disadvantaged New Yorkers have access to new opportunities in film, television and theatre production." For more information about these programs, visit nyc.gov/film.

"The Apollo's role as a catalyst, gathering place, and educational resource for the community builds on the Theater's rich history as a cultural and economic anchor to greater Harlem," said Apollo Theater president & CEO Jonelle Procope. "We are honored to work with the Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcast and with The Broadway League to present this panel discussion." For more information about the Apollo Theater, visit apollotheater.org.

"The Broadway League is committed to supporting and collaborating with those who work behind the scenes to make the magic of theatre and film possible," said Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League. "Without their specialized talents, Broadway wouldn't have lights, sound, dialogue, music, lyrics, and other vital components that create the quality stage and film productions that audiences enjoy." For more information about the Broadway League, visit BroadwayLeague.com.

About the Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
Part of the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, the Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting is the one-stop shop for all production needs in New York City. The agency markets the City as a prime location, provides premiere customer service to production companies, facilitates production throughout the five boroughs and works to promote diversity in the local entertainment industry. To learn more, visit www.nyc.gov/film.

About Career Day at the Apollo
Career Day at the Apollo is a special event under the Apollo Theater's Education Program and the Apollo Theater Academy, which advances career and leadership skills through seminars, workshops, panels and internships focused on professions "behind the-scenes" in the arts and entertainment industries. Programs of the Apollo Theater Academy include the In-School Seminars, Saturday Workshop Series, Summer Internship Program and Career Day.

About the Apollo Theater
Celebrating 75 years as the Soul of American Culture, the Apollo Theater is one of Harlem's, New York City's, and America's most iconic and enduring cultural institutions. The Apollo was one of the first theaters in New York, and the country, to fully integrate, welcoming traditionally African-American and Hispanic populations in the audience. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr., James Brown, Bill Cosby, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo's stage. Based on its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and city landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

About The Broadway League
The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 600-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in over 240 North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. Visit www.BroadwayLeague.com. Follow on Twitter @TheBwayLeague or on www.Facebook.com/BroadwayLeague.