Next Wave Initiative

The Apollo announced that The Fire This Time Festival, the Obie-Award-winning theater festival celebrating playwrights of African and African American descent, will make its permanent home at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria.

NextStop Theatre Company has announced its 2025/26 season—the first fully programmed by Producing Artistic Director, Heather Lanza, who joined the company in the fall of 2024.

The Directors Company has just announced its 4th slate of winners for their Next Wave Initiative scholarships. Learn more about the winners and the scholarship here!

Submissions are now open for Cycle 4 of The Next Wave Initiative, the developmental branch of The Directors Company that is committed to amplifying future Black voices in the American theatre.

The Directors Company have announced today that THE E.N.C , a new play by Matthew Freeman (Silver Spring) will receive a premiere reading on Wednesday, March 6 at 1:00pm at Pearl Studios.

Join The Directors Company for a reading of THE E.N.C., a new play by Matthew Freeman. This darkly comic and timely adaptation of The Emperor's New Clothes premieres on March 6, 2024, featuring a star-studded cast and directed by Michael Parva.

The Next Wave Initiative has announced open submissions for Cycle 3 of its scholarship program. Founded by Broadway multi-hyphenate, Douglas Lyons (Parade at City Center, and Chicken and Biscuits,), The Next Wave Initiative is a developmental branch of The Directors Company committed to amplifying future Black voices in the American theatre.

The 2022 winners of Douglas Lyons' Next Wave Initiative have been announced.  NWI is a developmental branch of The Directors Company committed to amplifying future Black voices in The American Theatre. Each winner will receive financial scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,959 to support their undergraduate or graduate education.

The Next Wave Initiative has announced open submissions for Cycle 2 of its scholarship program. Founded by Broadway multihyphenate, Douglas Lyons (Chicken and Biscuits and Beau), The Next Wave Initiative is a developmental branch of The Directors Company committed to amplifying future Black voices in the American theatre.

Today (April 12) in live streaming: Broadway unites for Arts for Autism, Douglas Lyons is Live at the Lortel, and more!

The Lucille Lortel Theatre today announces its upcoming guest lineup for its popular “Live at The Lortel” podcast series. In April, the interview series features actors Ryan Haddad (April 5), Douglas Lyons (April 12), André De Shields (April 19), and Sydney Harcourt (April 26).

The Next Wave Initiative, a scholarship and development branch of The Directors Company dedicated to future Black Theatre makers, has announced the winners of it's inaugural cycle. All 5 winners will receive financial scholarships ranging from $500- $1,959 towards their undergraduate or MFA education. 

Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) and Carly Hughes (American Housewife) will join Janet Hubert (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) to star in a virtual reading of Douglas Lyons’ CHICKEN AND BISCUITS on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 8:00p.m. (EST) to benefit the Next Wave Initiative.

Janet Hubert, best known to television audiences as “Aunt Viv” on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, will star as Baneatta Mabry in a virtual reading of Douglas Lyons' family comedy, CHICKEN AND BISCUITS on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 8:00p.m.

The Next Wave Initiative has announced open submissions for Cycle 1 of its scholarship program. Founded by actor-composer and TV writer Douglas Lyons (Beautiful, Beau), The Next Wave Initiative is a developmental branch of The Directors Company committed to amplifying future Black voices in the American theatre.