Apples And Oranges Arts Announces The Spring 2021 Cohort Of THEatre ACCELERATOR - New Reality Edition

Applying the model that accelerates technology start-ups, APPLES AND ORANGES ARTS THEatre ACCELERATOR Program treats storytellers as founders, creating an opportunity to interact with experts in the storytelling, production, financing, distribution and business of show business.

In the New Reality Edition, storytellers explore how XR technologies can be applied to develop, rehearse and/or distribute musicals. Apples and Oranges Arts promotes these technologies to help create and distribute live new musicals, while simultaneously looking to supplement and accelerate the return of live theatre. Participating teams receive technology to assist in their experimentation and investigation along with access to some of the top professionals in the emerging field.

The class focuses on identifying audience fit, cultivation, branding and an understanding of market potential in relation to the story, and allows artists from across the globe to participate together regardless of physical limitations. The program runs March 22nd through April 2nd and includes a mix of group discussions, assignments, lectures and presentations from experts in the entertainment, technology and investment arenas. THEatre ACCELERATOR culminates with "Sing Tank," an opportunity for participants to pitch their projects to theatre and tech industry veterans.

Mentors for THEatre ACCELERATOR include producers Deborah Barrera and Donna Lynn Hilton, director and technologist Stephanie Riggs, investor Frank Kavanaugh, owner and founder of Super Awesome Friends Jim Glaub, Spatial Media Instructor Tyler Heaton, multidisciplinary scholar Dr. Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin, musical writer Jason Ma, vice president at Disneyland for Disney Live Entertainment Matt Conover and Virtual Reality performers Ashley Marie Samudio and Tyrick Wiltez Jones.

The following projects will participate as a part of the Spring 2021 cohort of THEatre ACCELERATOR - New Reality Edition:

• ABSOLUTE ZERO (book & lyrics by Dorie Clark, music by Marie Incontrera)

• ALICE'S WONDERLAND - A HIP HOP MUSICAL ADVENTURE (book, music & lyrics by J Quinton Johnson and Julia Riew, story treatment by David Coffman and Linda Chichester)

• SHAPESHIFTERS (book, music & lyrics by Truth Bachman, directed and developed by Zhailon Levingston)

• SEEDS (book, music & lyrics by Adam Gubman)

• THE CONSOLING MECHANISM (book, music & lyrics by Joshua Franklin)

• WHISPER DARKLY (music & lyrics by Andrew Gerle, book and additional lyrics by DJ Salisbury)

For more information about THEatre ACCELERATOR - New Reality Edition and our current roster of mentors, visit http://nycoc.org/ta-vr.

At Apples and Oranges Arts, we seek to help artists by providing an educational platform for storytellers to learn to become creative entrepreneurs and self-advocates.