Straighten Your Crown Launches Producing Change Initiative

Straighten Your Crown Productions has announced the launch of the Producing Change Initiative to coincide with the world premiere of Little Miss Perfect at the Olney Theatre Center. The program aims to support emerging theatre producers, focusing on nurturing talent from communities that historically had limited access to traditional producing pathways. The Producing Change Initiative offers the opportunity to join the producing team of Little Miss Perfect while receiving structured mentorship, hands-on experience and meaningful input in all aspects of new production development. SYC has also committed to provide ongoing financial participation in the production to the initiative's participants.

Straighten Your Crown president, Nicole LaFountaine, elaborated on the initiative's mission: "I created Producing Change to bring real access to the producing side of theatre, and extend the work so many advocates have championed for representation onstage and behind the scenes."

Alexander Robertson joins Little Miss Perfect as an Associate Producer through the Producing Change Initiative. His participation will focus specifically on new musical development while also collaborating with SYC to help shape Producing Change as a scalable, repeatable framework for future iterations. "Early access to the development process, paired with mentorship, is how emerging producers build real agency. Producing Change is about making that access intentional and sustainable."

Little Miss Perfect director Zhailon Levingston adds, "When I first encountered Little Miss Perfect, I knew it was a piece that required care, courage, and a diversity of voices. The Producing Change initiative isn't just about access; it's about creating lasting pathways for producers whose brilliance has often gone unnoticed. I'm honored to collaborate with this next generation of leaders and excited about how their involvement will enrich the world of the show."

Little Miss Perfect, featuring book, music, and lyrics by Joriah Kwamé, and directed by Zhailon Levingston, is based on the viral song of the same name that won the Taylor Louderman Write Out Loud competition in 2019. The viral video of Ms. Louderman performing the track has garnered millions of views online. The fully realized production will world premiere at the Olney Theatre Center beginning February 8, 2026, and will run through March 8th.

Support for the Producing Change initiative has been by private donation through the show's fiscal sponsor, New York Theatre Barn. New York Theatre Barn is an industry leader in new musical development and an early supporter of Kwamé and Little Miss Perfect.