Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Launches Second Cohort of The Miranda Family Fellows Program

Organization
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, a national leader in the  creation of innovative theatre, is launching the second cohort of its transformative fellowship program in partnership and with a lead gift from the Miranda Family Fund, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s family philanthropic fund. Major support is provided by the Wilke Family Foundation, the UPS Foundation, and the Patalano Family (Lou, Jodi, Ali,  and Will) with additional support from Kristin Ehrgood and Vadim Nikitine and the Verizon Foundation

This ambitious workforce development program is designed to provide talented  candidates from historically excluded communities, especially those who self-identify as  Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color, with the resources and training necessary to  build their careers as arts administrators or theatre practitioners. Each fellowship is  structured as a paid year-long department-specific position with benefits (including health  insurance), and a housing stipend.  

“I am tremendously grateful to our first cohort of Miranda Family Fellows; Autumn Mitchell,  Jeremy Pesigan, and Citlali Pizarro.” says Maria Manuela Goyanes, Woolly Mammoth’s  Artistic Director. “Their dedication and brilliance astounds me, and I can already see the  countless ways that their time has created a lasting impact on the future of Woolly  Mammoth. It has been an honor that they chose Woolly to be part of their journeys. Along  with our partners the Miranda Family, we are thrilled to nurture and develop the next  generation of leaders in the American Theatre.” 

Alongside the opportunity to be embedded in the organization, participants also receive  ongoing professional development opportunities. This includes access to industry  leaders, so they might identify opportunities to explore their specific areas of interest, as  well as receive valuable career guidance. In order to deepen their analysis of equity,  diversity, inclusion and access, and the role arts organizations can play in furthering  movements for social justice, fellows also receive anti-racism and anti-oppression training and access to affinity spaces. There are opportunities to experience DC’s vibrant theatre ecology and network with their peers, both locally and as a part of the larger network of Miranda Family Fellows. 

While we ultimately seek to expand these fellowships to all Woolly Mammoth  Departments, the second cohort of Miranda Family Fellowships will be available in the Connectivity, New Work, and Development Departments.  

The Connectivity Fellow will join Woolly Mammoth’s nationally acclaimed Connectivity  department in linking Woolly’s artistic mission with its social and political mission through  artistic programs, community engagement, and audience enrichment activities. 

The New Work Fellow position will offer the opportunity to be immersed in the artistic  team of a major new work theatre. The Fellow is exposed to Woolly’s unique season  planning, new work development, and production dramaturgy processes. 

The Development Fellow is a newly created position designed for a future leader in arts  and nonprofit fundraising and strategic development. The Fellow will be immersed in the  fundraising and development department of a nationally recognized and funded innovator  in the American theatre. 

“The Miranda Family Fund is thrilled to welcome a new cohort of Miranda Family Fellows  to Woolly Mammoth, a theatre innovator that remains close to me and my family’s heart,”  said Luis A. Miranda, Jr. “With 300 applicants for three positions, the response to our  program was astounding, and our inaugural cohort has been extraordinary. The energy  and excitement around these Fellowships and our collaboration with Woolly Mammoth  further proves our hypothesis that supporting diverse, emerging theatre artists across  multiple disciplines is a necessary change for the betterment of the American theatre.” 

The duration of each fellowship will be from June 2022 - June 2023. Applications  will be accepted through February 13, 2022. 

For more details about each fellowship and information on how to apply, please visit: https://www.woollymammoth.net/join-us/fellowships

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ABOUT WOOLLY 

Woolly Mammoth creates badass theatre that highlights the stunning, challenging, and  tremendous complexity of our world. For over 40 years, Woolly has maintained a high  standard of artistic rigor while simultaneously daring to take risks, innovate, and push  beyond perceived boundaries. One of the few remaining theatres in the country to  maintain a company of artists, Woolly serves as an essential research and development  role within the American theatre. Plays premiered here have gone on to productions at  hundreds of theatres all over the world and have had lasting impacts on the field. Co-led  by Artistic Director Maria Manuela Goyanes and Managing Director Emika Abe, Woolly  is located in Washington, DC, equidistant from the Capitol Building and the White  House. This unique location influences Woolly’s investment in actively working towards  an equitable, participatory, and creative democracy. 

Woolly Mammoth stands upon occupied, unceded territory: the ancestral homeland of  the Nacotchtank whose descendants belong to the Piscataway peoples. Furthermore,  the foundation of this city, and most of the original buildings in Washington, DC, were  funded by the sale of enslaved people of African descent and built by their hands. 

ABOUT THE MIRANDA FAMILY FUND 

For over 40 years, the Miranda Family has championed community activism. They have  created and supported institutions that have served both underserved populations in  Upper Manhattan and communities throughout New York City, across the country, and in  Puerto Rico. Luis A. Miranda, Jr. and Dr. Luz Towns-Miranda are proud parents to Luz  Miranda-Crespo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Miguel Towns. Now as adults, Luz and Lin 

Manuel are married to Luis Crespo and Vanessa Nadal, respectively, with children of their  own. They continue to foster the family’s commitment to advocacy for education, the arts,  and social justice - along with a sustained focus on relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto  Rico post-Hurricane Maria.