Radically changing how Broadway musicals are made and financed
2024
Introduction
Mission
Liquid creates transformative theatre productions with passion and purpose — inviting broad cultural impact and increasing accessibility for all communities to engage.
Trifecta of Purpose
Theatre Arts
Transformative storytelling can change lives, but the cost of creating theatre has become so expensive that high ticket prices exclude audiences and essential stories go untold. So we embrace the power of the collective by building partnerships that help us innovate and nurture the development of culturally significant theatre productions from page to stage.
Access
This approach builds bridges so that all communities can experience life changing theatre.
Engagement
We broaden the potential of what theatre can do to cultivate meaningful impact, that invites community wholeness. In partnership with our audience, we allow each story to guide vital dialogue and forums.
Core Values
Liquid nurtures creativity, connection, and compassion by:
Championing a culture of honor
Pursuing artistic, mental, & spiritual wholeness
Cultivating a sacred space
Committing to the betterment of humanity
Celebrating generosity and gratitude
Journey of Firsts
pi·o·neer
verb [with object]
develop or be the first to use or apply (a new method, area of knowledge, or activity)
*open up (a road or terrain) as a pioneer.
At Liquid we are pioneering an approach to producing theatre that creates broad cultural impact. A path we hope others will follow.
We are launching with the development of the original musical, MARIAN, based on the life of the first, Black opera singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera , MARIAN ANDERSON — a true pioneer.
Her pursuit of excellence in the arts, commitment to a better humanity, and spiritual integrity inspires us all — so it is only fitting that her journey be the first story we tell…
POWERED BY
Twenty four years before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream”speech, a Black woman stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and sang before an unprecedented, racially-integrated audience of 75,000 people.
THIS IS HER STORY.
Overview
It’s 1939 and despite the fact that Marian Anderson is hailed by Toscanini as “the Voice of the Century”, the singer is denied a stage in Washington, D.C. because she is Black. An international Civil Rights controversy explodes and amidst the racial tension and political division that consumes America, Marian is offered a chance to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Catapulted into a personal crisis the night before she gives the performance of a lifetime, Marian Anderson sacrifices everything to use her voice and make history.
Why this show? Why now?
Today, just like it was in the 1930’s — the nation is divided, polarized and raw. Our heroine re-imagined what art is, and believed it could heal longstanding divisions and strife. Marian chose to build a bridge between races, cultures, classes and political factions. Now, more than ever, we need the grace of reconciliation and unity to help make our nation whole.
Marian Anderson rose from desperate circumstances to enrich, inspire and enlighten the world with music. She sang and spoke in multiple languages to remind us that humanity has one, unified voice. In this tumultuous time in history, we need heroes to help us imagine and create a more just, inclusive world. Marian is a role model who healed through music and exemplified love, equity and the eternal, unbreakable connection between all people. With Marian Anderson as our inspiration, we believe that a collective voice can make history.
BEFORE LADY DAY.
BEFORE TINA.
THERE WAS MARIAN.
MARIAN’s Educational + Community Engagement
Liquid holds a purpose and belief that authentic, transformative storytelling can leap off the stage and move an audience towards transformative thought and action that benefits both themselves and humanity.
We have partnered with the CCNY (City College of New York) Graduate Program in Educational Theatre, to create an original Educational Program for middle and high school that expands upon Marian Anderson’s history, by engaging students around her extraordinary legacy in the arts, her resilience and inclusiveness, all while shaping a new generation of bridge-builders.
The Community Engagement Programs will be designed to spark safe, holistic dialogues and forums around reconciliation and healing.
Liquid’s NEW MODEL to make and finance the original Broadway bound musical, MARIAN…
We believe that this transformative, original story can be produced for Broadway without compromising the development process and without breaking the bank.
To achieve this Liquid is pressing into the power of partnerships, the collective passion for this project, and the pursuit of not-for-profit financing.
How this benefits Broadway…
Right now an original Broadway musical costs around $20M plus to produce. Liquid’s model lowers the overall debt, which means that:
Ticket prices go down.
Audiences increase.
Transformative STORIES get told.
Next Steps
MARIAN Development 2024 - 2025
Spring/Summer 2024 — Complete the Current Draft
Based on the feedback and work inspired from our November 2022 NY Industry Reading and the November 2023 Writers Residency at the University of Michigan, the authors will complete a rewrite of the script and songs by August 2024.
Summer 2024 — Reading of Draft
Liquid is partnering with Stage Door Foundation to host an invited table read with music, featuring a handful of key actors from the 2022 NY readings. The next day the actors and creative team will workshop scenes and ideas from the reading.
Fall 2024 — Rewrite the Script
Based on the feedback from the reading and workshop, the authors will rewrite the current script and songs.
Winter 2025 — Filmed Workshop
In collaboration with City College Center for the Arts, Liquid is producing a filmed workshop of the latest draft of the script.
“If you have a purpose in which you can believe, there’s no end to the amount of things you can accomplish.”
MARIAN ANDERSON
Join Us
Be curious. Ask questions. Get to know us.
And if you decide that Liquid Theatre Collective is place you want to play, then we welcome you to the family with open arms!
We are currently looking for donors, foundation grants, corporate sponsors, advisory board members, and potential partnerships.
Our budget is available upon request. We are an open book. Always willing to learn, grow, and be transformed… so that we can better be used to transform others.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
yours truly,
the Liquid family
Contact
Randy Donaldson
Producing Director
donaldson.randy@gmail.com
Elkin Antoniou G
Artistic Director
elkin@liquidtheatrecollective.org
Alexa Fleur Harris
Producer
alexa@alexafleur.com
Claire Wilkes
Producer
wilkesclaire203@gmail.com
Jay Pension
Producer
jpension@umich.edu
