WHO WE ARE

Black Theatre Coalition was founded by T. Oliver Reid and Warren Adams during the Summer of 2019. They identified the disparity between the growing inclusivity onstage, versus the almost non-existence of Black professionals off stage. They invited their colleague, Reggie Van Lee, to join them as Co-Founder in their march towards dismantling the systemically racist and biased ideology in the theatrical job space. Black Theatre Coalition officially filed as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in June of 2020.

REGGIE VAN LEE (Board Chair, Co-Founder) is Chief Transformation Officer of The Carlyle Group, focused on helping the firm develop new and innovative ways to enhance business processes. He is based in New York, NY. Mr. Van Lee has and continues to serve on a number of non-profit boards, including the Washington Performing Arts, National CARES Mentoring Movement, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Studio Museum in Harlem, Executive Leadership Council, and Evidence Dance Company. He was named one of the top 25 consultants in the world by Consulting Magazine, selected as a Washington Minority Business Leader by the Washington Business Journal and named Black Engineer of the Year by Black Engineer magazine.

T. OLIVER REID (Co-Founder & Artistic Director) has spent the past 20 years working on Broadway shows, (Hadestown; Once On This Island; Sunset Boulevard; After Midnight; Sister Act; Mary Poppins; The Wedding Singer; Chicago; La Cage Aux Folles; Never Gonna Dance; Thoroughly Modern Millie; Follies; Kiss Me, Kate), which have amassed more than 20 Tony Awards from the American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards. He is also an accomplished cabaret artist and multiple award winner for his solo show, “Drop Me Off In Harlem” which he directed, wrote, and starred in. He has produced and directed concerts for Feinstein’s 54 Below and continues to work in film and television. He is on faculty at Rider University, NYU-Tisch’s Grad Acting Program, and Columbia University School of the Arts’ Grad Acting program. He sits on the Board of Visitors for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He’s currently in the critically acclaimed, Hadestown on Broadway.

WARREN ADAMS (Co-Founder & Artistic Director) is a South African-born artist living in New York City. He was recently commissioned to write the book for the PETER TOSH musical. He is the Writer/Director of the upcoming new musical Trial and the Choreographer of the Bebe Winans Broadway-bound musical Born for This. In 2019, he was appointed to the Tony Nominating Committee. Other notable awards include the Tony Award for Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Co-Producer). He won the NAACP and the Fred Astaire Awards for his choreographic work on Motown. He was selected as the first Mandela Sainsbury Scholar (South Africa to London) and the first Rudolf Nureyev Award winner in Europe. Past Projects include: Motown the Musical (Broadway, US Tours, West End). Adams has served as an Adjunct Professor at both Princeton University and NYU in the drama departments. He co-founded VisaPaq with Sharona D’Ornellas, a portfolio company that has successfully obtained over 300 working visas for international immigrant artists wanting to work in the USA. He is currently writing a new show for HBO Max and Directing a new upcoming Musical.

OLIVIA K JONES (Executive Director) has dedicated her career to amplifying diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the arts and culture sector. She was a recipient of the inaugural APAP|NYC 2020 Duke Access Award after being identified as a field leader representing expertise in racial equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the performing arts field. She has held roles at Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Arena Stage. Olivia is also proud to have been a steering committee member of the Museum Arts and Cultural Access Consortium, advancing accessibility throughout New York’s cultural sector. She currently serves on Trusty Sidekick Theatre Company’s Board of Directors, supporting the creation of bold and original productions for young people and their families. Her educational background includes an MFA in Arts Leadership from Virginia Tech and a BA in Theatre from Cal Poly Pomona.

Recent workshops, projects, and speaking engagements include collaborations with American Theatre Wing, ART/NY, BRIC, BroadwayCon, Center Theatre Group, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center’s Interconstituent Access Council (including New York City Ballet, Juilliard, Chamber Music Society, New York Philharmonic, Lincoln Center Theater, and Jazz at Lincoln Center,) the Museum of the City of New York, National Endowment for the Arts, NY Transit Museum, Roundabout Theatre Company, Trusty Sidekick, & Utah Shakespeare Theatre Festival.

TOM ANDRÉ BARDWELL (Program Director) is a performance artist and arts administrator known for facilitation, people and culture management, budget operations, and copywriting.

His creative leadership style inspires teams to produce and develop transformative programs and projects while prioritizing financial health, clear communications and cultural responsiveness.

He is a member of the 2022-2023 cohort of artEquity’s BIPOC Leadership Circle; Hue, a social impact, tech-enabled community platform; and Public Art Exchange (PAX), an open and transparent network for the Public Art field. Prior to this, he served as an advisor to ARTS at King Street Station, a cultural hub that highlights communities of color and honors indigenous origins.

Tom André played “Daddy” in Thomas F. DeFrantz’s production of Queer Theory! A Musical Travesty! He also wrote and starred in the choreo-play Declaration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. His stunning performances as Miss Nicholle Pride in 2007’s “Mangos with Chili,” the multi-genre touring production of Queer and Trans People of Color artists across North America and Canada, led to a nine-year residency at Jacque’s Cabaret for the legendary drag revue, “Perestroika: Hosted by Katya.”

His administrative background includes contributions to the work at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Cascade Public Media, ACT Theatre, School’s Out Washington, and the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth.

Tom André earned an M.A. in Theater Education from Emerson College, and B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from Hiram College.

AALIYTHA STEVENS (Board Member) Chief Operating Officer at SpotCo, the world’s leading full-service advertising, marketing and branding agency. She joined the company in 2002 as a member of the account services team and got her start managing brand and media strategy for Manhattan Theatre Club, Cirque du Soleil, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, to name a few. Today, she is the highest-ranking person of color in the theatrical advertising industry. She is passionate about philanthropic giving, fair workplace practices, and equity and diversity in the industry: improving its statistics from the root up. In addition to spearheading Equity, Diversity & Inclusion initiatives for SpotCo and its clients, Aaliytha proudly co-chairs the Multicultural Taskforce at The Broadway League, and sits on their Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

NAILA MCKENZIE is Director, Inclusion Strategy, Business Affairs & Legal Counsel, serving as in-house counsel for the Disney Theatrical Group’s Broadway, domestic and international live stage play business while also supporting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts throughout the business. Naila is also an active member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of The Broadway League and founded Disney Theatrical Group’s first employee resource group, Ensemble, in 2018.