“White actors and directors still dominate Broadway stages, report finds.”
Presented by the Broadway Collective
Change a student’s life forever.
Invest in a young artist’s career.
Bring more diversity to Broadway.
By contributing to Project Next Gen, you get to do all three.
If you (or your company) have been looking for an opportunity to support a great cause, make a difference, and give back to the BIPOC community, this is it.
What is Project Next Gen?
Project Next Gen is a musical theatre scholarship program for BIPOC students to Gathered NYC, Broadway's #1 Summer Training Intensive.
This summer, we are awarding a full tuition scholarships to 8 students.
To receive this scholarship, each student must:
- Be between the ages of 12 and 18
- Demonstrate a passion for musical theatre
- Complete a video audition and essay requirement
- Come from a under-resourced school district or household
- Be a member of the BIPOC community, or identify as trans, nonbinary, or another marginalized identity that is underrepresented on Broadway
We will receive hundreds of applications and choose the most promising candidates.
Each scholarship recipient gets an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City and a life-changing week of theatre education. The student attends dance, voice, and acting masterclasses led by Broadway artists. They meet casting agents, network, and learn about careers in the arts.
Each student receives:
- Musical theatre training in New York City, meals, airfare, accommodation, sheet music, dance attire, and a laptop to complete prep work before their trip to the city
100% of expenses are covered. The student pays nothing. We also provide airfare and accommodation for one parent/guardian who accompanies the student on the trip.
Here’s a look at Gathered NYC:
Does Project Next Gen
make a difference?
Yes.
Receiving a Project Next Gen scholarship makes an immediate impact on each student’s life.
Students return home with new hope and new career possibilities.
See how Project Next Gen helped one student–Alana–get into USC to study theatre (with a full ride scholarship) and book her first TV role.
Why is Project Next Gen
Important Now?
Broadway is a $1.3 billion dollar industry that provides thousands of jobs–both onstage and backstage.
Unfortunately, it’s an industry that is predominantly white and lacks diversity. While shows like Hamilton have improved diversity on Broadway somewhat, the work is only just beginning and there is so much more to be done. We have a long way to go.
“Only 20 percent of shows on New York stages were written by people of color.”
AAPAC Visibility Report
“Currently on Broadway, 93% of producers are white. 100% of general managers are white. Hiring Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) actors has increased–but only by 0.5% compared to the previous year.”
Deadline
Why are white people over-represented on Broadway...
while BIPOC people are under-represented?
There are dozens of reasons why this is happening. One of the biggest reasons is lack of education and access.
If BIPOC kids and teens don’t have access to musical theatre training, then they won’t get into a top theatre college.
If they don’t get into a top theatre college, then they won’t be prepared to succeed in real-world auditions or get cast in Broadway roles.
This is why Project Next Gen is so important.
We help students get the training they need–at a young age–so that they can succeed in the highly-competitive theatre industry when they’re older and become Broadway’s Next Generation.
the moment when a student hears they got in
our scholarship recipients say
We asked students (and their parents):
“How has Project Next Gen changed your life?”
“Theatre to me means that I can put my worries aside from my real life and just relax. It’s a space of comfort and love that is accepting of people from every walk of life. I can’t imagine my life without it.”
–Amanda
“Something I wish that people knew about me is that I really am a hard worker and will work hard for this scholarship. I’m really passionate about the art that I want to pursue not only as a hobby but as a professional career.”
–Armani
“This is more than just a weekend intensive–this is a life-changing experience that can help me grow to be the person, leader, and inspiration to others that I want to be.”
–Caleb
“I cannot wait to work for long hours and be tired in the morning. Only because I know that means I’m working hard. It’s something so many kids my age don’t get to do. When I make it big ,everyone is going to know I worked for what I have.”
–Fletcher
“Theatre has come to mean friendship and a second home to me through all of the wonderful people I’ve met while performing. Theatre means getting to escape to a different world, even for a little bit.”
–Patricia
“Coming to NYC would not only improve my talents, but allow me to create a bond with people from different walks of life. It would make me feel like I belong. As a kid, there weren’t any outlets for fine arts. There was no environment in school for me to exercise my talents.”
–Kendall
Our contributors say
“I am so proud to contribute to Project Next Gen each month. I was a shy, creative, weirdo in high school. Having access to theatre education at my school was life-changing (even life-saving) for me. Choir, musicals, dance classes–those are the places where I found my voice and made deep friendships. I was lucky because my school district (and family) could afford to pay for those experiences–but that’s not the reality for every child, and that’s why Project Next Gen is so important. Every young artist who wants theatre education should have access to get it–with no barriers. If you’re in a position to give to this scholarship program, please do it.”
–Alexandra Franzen
Bestselling author, Entrepreneur, Project Next Gen contributor
“So many people think, ‘I really want to make a difference’. Project Next Gen is an opportunity to do exactly that. By donating, you provide a scholarship that completely changes a student’s life. One day when that young artist is accepting a Tony Award, you will know, ‘I helped them get there!!’ And that is an amazing feeling.”
–Rachel Rodgers
Founder of Hello Seven, Project Next Gen contributor
“It’s one thing to say, ‘I care about diversity.’ It’s another thing to back up those words with action–and with dollars. I love what Project Next Gen is doing and I’m honored to be a contributor.”
–Susan Hyatt
Best Selling Author + Master Certified Life Coach, Project Next Gen contributor
Who started Project Next Gen?
Project Next Gen is an initiative started by The Broadway Collective, a musical theatre education company for students aged 12-18 who want to pursue a career on Broadway.
The Broadway Collective’s CEO and founder, Robert Hartwell, is also a Broadway artist and theatre director/choreographer.
Discouraged by the lack of diversity on Broadway, he responded by creating Project Next Gen—a scholarship program for BIPOC students.
“If we want to bring more diversity to Broadway, we can do it–but change requires more than just hopes and wishes. Change requires funding. And, change needs to begin at the educational level. We need to provide training for BIPOC kids so that they’re prepared for a successful career in the arts. White artists get hired for lead roles on Broadway because white artists are the ones who get private dance, voice, and acting lessons starting at age 12 or even age 8. We need to provide those same opportunities to kids who are not white. This is how we will make Broadway better than before: more inclusive, more diverse, more dynamic, and more prosperous for everyone in the industry–with exciting new talent, new stories, and new voices that audiences will love.”
–Robert hartwell
How much money has been raised so far?
For our 2025 scholarship program, we have secured 9 donors as of June 2024.
– Must-reach goal: 60
– Stretch goal: 90
Reaching our stretch goal will allow us to provide additional scholarships and outreach support to additional students and their families.
A huge thank you to the following individuals:
I’m inspired. Count me in.
How can I contribute?
Please choose from 3 giving levels HERE.
Friend – $197 One-Time Donation
Champion – $197 Monthly for 6 Months
Visionary – $197 Monthly for 12 Months
Or, provide a full scholarship for one student: one-time gift of $6,997 here.
Want to give at another level? Please email us at robert@bwaycollective.com
Other Ways to Contribute
We need airline tickets, hotel accommodations in New York City, laptops, dance attire, dance shoes, and meals for each student and their accompanying parent/guardian. If you work for a company that can provide those assets, we welcome you to get in touch: elizabeth at bwaycollective dot com
What do I get when I contribute?
We appreciate our contributors. We want you to see and feel that your funding is making a real difference.
Handwritten thank you note from the student you have sponsored
Your name (or, company name and logo) featured in Broadway Collective workbooks and other materials for our summer program
The knowledge that you’ve made a significant impact in a young person’s life
Thank you message on the Project Next Gen website
Opportunity to stay connected with the student you have sponsored and get updates as they complete high school, get into college, book their first theatrical role, and launch their career in the performing arts
By contributing to Project Next Gen, you are investing in a young artist, their family, and a community. One day they will thank you for this opportunity that changed their entire life story.
A Note from Robert
Dear Friend,
Imagine that you are a black or brown kid, age twelve, thirteen, maybe fourteen years old. And you have a big dream: Broadway.
You have talent. You’re a hard worker. You will work harder than anybody else in the room, if given the chance. But, there’s a problem.
Your household is low-income and doesn’t have the money to pay for private dancing, singing, or acting lessons.
Okay. Now imagine a different scenario.
Imagine you’re that same kid. You’ve got tons of potential, but you don’t have access to theatre education and your family does not have money. But then…you receive the opportunity of a lifetime.
You win a scholarship award . You get to fly to New York City to spend one week training with award winning Broadway artists—all expenses paid. No cost.
All week long, you attend rigorous dancing, singing, acting masterclasses. You start to build the artistic skills that you need. During that week in New York City, you meet directors and choreographers and casting directors who learn your name and write it down because they’re gonna keep their eyes on you.
That week in New York City is an experience that forever changes the trajectory of your life. It literally changes everything.
That experience I just described? That week in NYC? That life-changing scholarship? It’s called Project Next Gen.
Through Project Next Gen, we bring 8 BIPOC students to New York City for a week of Broadway transformation.
Would you like to be a miracle for someone? I cannot think of a better way to kick off this New Year.
Let’s go change lives. Let’s open doors.
My All,
Robert Hartwell
Founder + Artistic Director
The Broadway Collective
Often Imitated. Never Duplicated. Often Imitated. Never Duplicated.
Since 2016, The Broadway Collective has set the standard for training the next generation of Broadway artists.
We have a 97% success rate of our students being accepted into top BFA Musical Theatre college degree programs.
We begin working with students at age 12 through 18. Our students have succeeded in the competitive high school and college application and audition process, connected with the industry’s leading experts, booked television and film, and landed roles with prominent theatre productions around the country.
With a star-studded faculty of Broadway performers, directors, and choreographers, our curriculum prepares pre-professional young performers with technique, storytelling skills, and discipline, while instilling the importance of a positive attitude, generous spirit, and authenticity.
