York Theatre to Open Applications for 2026 Micki Grant Artist-in-Residence Program

The York Theatre will open applications for the 2026 Micki Grant Artist-in-Residence Program on Monday, June 15, 2026, and close on Monday, July 6, 2026. This year's residency is designed for emerging directors with a passion for musical theatre and a strong artistic voice.

Named in honor of groundbreaking actor, composer, lyricist, playwright, director and York Honorary Board Member the Micki Grant Artist-in-Residence program supports artists from historically underrepresented communities through mentorship, professional development, and hands-on experience within an Off-Broadway theatre.

The selected resident will serve as a Directing Observer on The York Theatre's upcoming Mainstage production of Truly, Howard Hughes, with rehearsals beginning in August and performances running September through October 2026. The resident will also direct a special 50th Anniversary concert of the landmark Broadway musical Vinnette Carroll's Your Arms Too Short to Box with God, that Micki wrote additional music and lyrics for, work directly with York staff and artistic leadership, attend workshops on grant-writing, fundraising, and navigating theatrical unions, and receive an invitation to The York's Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala. The selected resident receives a $3,500 stipend.

The 2026 selection committee includes Daryl Walker, representative of The Micki Grant Estate; director/choreographer Kenny Ingram; inaugural resident Dahlak Brathwaite; and York Theatre staff members Joseph Hayward, Wendy Hall, Stephanie Prugh, and Tatiana Montes. 

Brathwaite, the program's inaugural 2025 resident, is an award-winning playwright, 2026 Drama Desk Award nominee, composer, director, and performer whose work has been presented at BAM, The Kennedy Center, The Apollo, and on HBO. His musical adaptation of Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down premiered at Olney Theater Center, where it broke box-office records. A Princess Grace Award winner, Brathwaite holds a degree from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.

Micki Grant broke barriers as the first woman to write and star in a Broadway musical, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, which earned multiple Tony nominations and a Grammy win. She was also the first African American contract player on a daytime serial, appearing as Peggy Nolan on NBC's Another World. Her advocacy for representation in the theatre industry continues to shape the field she helped define.

The residency cycle runs for three months. Prospective candidates will be invited to interview following the application period.  https://www.yorktheatre.org/micki-grant-artist-in-residence