Today the Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC) announced Chesray Dolpha will join the organization as the new Artistic Director. Dolpha has worked with some of NYC’s top arts education institutions including Theater Development Fund, St. Ann’s Warehouse and The Dream Center in Harlem. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Taskforce on Equity and Inclusion for the New York City Arts in Education Roundtable and previously participated in BAC’s Theater of Change course at Columbia University.
Zhailon Levingston, who has previously served as BAC’s Creative Director, has been promoted to Director of Industry Initiatives and is the Associate Director of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway. In this new role, Levingston will be responsible for spearheading the organization’s work within the theater industry. This includes its “Reimagining Equitable Productions” Workshops and connecting theater artists to BAC’s advocacy work within the criminal justice space.
Britton Smith will continue in his role as President and Co-Founder of BAC: “In my 4 years of service at The Broadway Advocacy Coalition, I’ve witnessed an incredible transformation of this organization from a Facebook post to a notably respected organization of real impact - and have been transformed myself by the work,” said Britton Smith. “I am excited to celebrate Zhailon and Chesray’s leadership and vision and am proud to forever champion on for BAC, its founders and its mission. I’ll continue to support them and the organization in my role as President.”
Dolpha and Levingston began serving in their new roles as of February 22nd.
"I'm thrilled to be joining the Broadway Advocacy Coalition team, the work they've done is inspiring and the work we'll do is exciting,” said Chesray Dolpha. “I couldn't be happier with how the stars have aligned!" “Working with BAC has been a joy of mine since my first year in New York 5 years ago and to now be in a position whereby I get to pull from everything I’ve learned year by year and dreaming up emergent ways to move us forward feels like the most perfect intersection for me to be working in,” said Zhailon Levingston.
BAC is an arts-based advocacy organization dedicated to creating equitable spaces and building the capacity of individuals and organizations to dismantle racism. Their recent work includes gathering a virtual crowd of over 11,000 participants for the three-day forum Broadway for Black Lives Matter, launching the Cody Renard Richard Scholarship program and the Artivism Fellowship program, along with the inaugural Broadway Vs and continuing their partnership with Columbia Law School through their full semester course, The Theater of Change: Reimagining Justice Through Abolition.