Board of Directors

• Jamie Trowbridge, Chair
• Leah Day VanHorn, Vice Chair
• Iliana Guibert, Vice Chair
• Chris Wilkens, Treasurer
• Ashia Johnson, Secretary
•  
• Brittany Adebumola
• Gregg Arst
• Kym Blanchard
• Paul Cellupica
• Michael Fleming
• Drew Garrison
• Pam Hacker
• Ali Kamin
• Nicole Kwan
• Annie Parisse
• Anastasia Pronin
• Jonathan Schorr
• Ira Schreck
• Chen Shao
• Rahul Tripathi

Junior Board

• Jackie Eustis, Co-Chair
• Shayna Jast, Co-Chair
• Lan Lyga, Vice Chair
• Shelley Ortega, Social/PR
• Naz Shams, Finance
•  
• Maura Cassidy
• Sophie Cianfarani
• Sarah Frankel
• Lucas Gilbride
• Shelly Grinshpun
• Hunter Johnson
• Alana Koenig
• Josh Krehe
• Andres Martinez
• Johnny Mickens
• Liza Miller

Artistic Advisory Board

• Uzo Aduba 
• Kristen Bell
• Rachel Chavkin
• Dominique Fishback
• Alexa L. Fogel
• Marcus Gardley
• Jared Gertner
• Caleb Grandoit
• Richard Hester
• Matt Hoverman
• Odley Jean
• Aja Naomi King
• Kwame Kwei-Armah
• Kenny Leon
• Kobi Libii
• Donald Margulies
• Michael Mastro
• Andrew McCarthy
• Susan Mufson
• Lizabeth Newman
• Christopher Oscar Peña 
• Anthony Ramos
• Jean Smart
• Cecily Strong
• Patrick Vassel
• Michelle Williams
• Tracey Scott Wilson

Board of Directors

• Jamie Trowbridge, Chair
• Leah Day VanHorn, Vice Chair
• Iliana Guibert, Vice Chair
• Chris Wilkens, Treasurer
• Michael Fleming, Secretary
• Gregg Arst
• Kym Blanchard
• Nikki Calliste
• Paul Cellupica
• Drew Garrison
• Sari Granat
• Pam Hacker
• Kenneth Huynh
• Ashia Johnson
• Ali Kamin
• Nicole Kwan
• Annie Parisse
• Jonathan Schorr
• Ira Schreck
• Maza Tiyi Myrie
• Rahul Tripathi

Junior Board

• Anastasia Pronin, Chair
• Jackie Eustis, Acting Chair
• Maura Cassidy
• Shelly Grinshpun
• Shayna Jast
• Josh Krehe
• Andres Martinez
• Johnny Mickens

Artistic Advisory Board

• Brittany Adebumola
• Uzo Aduba 
• Kristen Bell
• Rachel Chavkin
• Dominique Fishback
• Alexa L. Fogel
• Marcus Gardley
• Jared Gertner
• Caleb Grandoit
• Richard Hester
• Matt Hoverman
• Odley Jean
• Celia Keenan-Bolger
• Aja Naomi King
• Kwame Kwei-Armah
• Kenny Leon
• Kobi Libii
• Donald Margulies
• Michael Mastro
• Andrew McCarthy
• Susan Mufson
• Lizabeth Newman
• Christopher Oscar Peña 
• Anthony Ramos
• Jean Smart
• Cecily Strong
• Patrick Vassel
• Michelle Williams
• Tracey Scott Wilson

Steering Committee

• Gregg Arst
• Loren Black
• Kym Blanchard
• Cristi Andrews Cohen
• Leah Day VanHorn
• Warachal Faison
• Amanda Granacher
• Sari Granat
• Iliana Guibert
• Elizabeth Buckley Lewis
• Charon Marden
• Maza Tiyi Myrie
• Jennifer Pehr
• Rahul Tripathi
• Mark Weinress 

Host Committee

• Sandra Anojulu
• Paul Cellupica
• Carolyn Conrad
• Philippe Dauman
• Stephanie Dauman
• Peg Donegan
• Lahna Harper
• Dana Herrman
• Toan Huynh
• Diane Jackson
• Jennifer Jackson
• Julia Kamin
• Jean-Marc Levy
• Jessica Linder
• Jennifer Marrus
• Cecile Lopez Mora
• Jonathan Adam Ross
• Andrew Schorr
• Kyra Sedgwick
• Maggie Walker

MEET MICHELLE

“[The point of making art] is to inspire people, to move somebody else into their own action. What you guys have done is inspire me into my own action.”

Michelle Williams | Golden Globe-winning actor

Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun, The Wiz Live!) returns to direct Opening Act’s Hear Me Here, featuring world premieres by Dominique Fishback (The Deuce), Christopher Oscar Peña (Insecure), and the students of Opening Act – with special musical performances. 

Special thanks to our:

Steering Committee

• Cristi Andrews Cohen
• Gregg Arst
• Andrea Beecher
• Loren Black
• Kym Blanchard
• Leah Day VanHorn
• Warachal Faison
• Amanda Granacher
• Sari Granat
• Iliana Guibert
• Elizabeth Buckley Lewis
• Charon Marden
• Maza Tiyi Myrie
• Jen Pehr
• Rohini Pragasam
• Rahul Tripathi
• Mark Weinress 

Host Committee

• Jay Bluestine
• Meredith Bluestine
• Carolyn Conrad
• Philippe Dauman
• Stephanie Dauman
• Peg Donegan
• Sarah Fabiny
• Cindy Finkelman
• Trisha Goddard
• Dana Herrman
• Toan Huynh
• Diane Jackson
• Jennifer Jackson
• Julia Kamin
• Justin Klosky
• Jean-Marc Levy
• Bharti Malkani
• Jennifer Marrus
• Jon Adam Ross

Find out how you can Say Yes by making a small investment that will have a BIG return for the students of Opening Act.

We can’t do it without you.

Say Yes at openingact.org/powerof10.

Thursday, July 23 @ New York Live Arts

Opening Act students from the third annual Summer Arts & Leadership Conservatory will be showcasing what they’ve learned during their intensive training, including Shakespeare and Scene Study. Doors open @ 2:45PM, Curtain @ 3PM – TICKETS ARE FREE! Click the icon below to read more.

to Opening Act’s 10th Annual Benefit Play Reading

Junior Board

• • Anastasia Pronin, Chair
  • Jackie Eustis, Acting Chair
  • Maura Cassidy
  • Shelly Grinshpun
  • Shayna Jast
  • Josh Krehe
  • Andres Martinez
  • Johnny Mickens

IMPACT

93% of students are more motivated to attend school

98% acquired new skills, including communication & self-expression

98% improved their ability to collaborate with others

Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun) returns to direct Opening Act’s A Night of Yes!, featuring works by Katori Hall and Ike Holder.

Special thanks to our:

Steering Committee

Andrea Beecher

Loren Black

Kym Blanchard

Elizabeth Buckley Lewis

Leah Day

Warachal Faison

Sari Granat

Iliana Guibert

Maza Tiyi Myrie

Jen Pehr

Rohini Pragasam

Rahul Tripathi

Contact paul@openingact.org to get involved!

“Opening Act is one of the organizations that we’re most proud to support.”

Dennis Williams | SVP, Corporate Affairs & Corporate Social Responsibility at WarnerMedia

Make an impact

“Opening Act is like a home.  Not like the part where you wake up and eat breakfast, but the part where at dinner you tell stories about your day.”

Cleavon | Opening Act Student (Brooklyn)

Thank You to our extraordinary 2020 #P20 Leaders!

Rachael Abbick, Marie Anderson, Jo Anthony, Omar Beer, Alexandria Bellivan, Loren Black, Kym Blanchard, Katie Braden, Nikki Calliste, Cathleen Carr, Maura Cassidy, Rachel Chavkin, Ed Chidsey, Agnes Chrakowiecka, Nancy Comerford, John Cowan, Warachal Faison, Michael Fleming, Claire Florian, Jared Gertner, Erin Gifford, Mandy Granacher, Sari Granat, Sasha Greensfelder, Iliana Guibert, Paul Gutkowski, Pam Hacker, Marion Herbert, Zena Hinds, Jennifer Jackson, The Jackson Family, Marcus Johnson, Ali Kamin, Julia Kamin, Sammuel Kim, Marina Komarnitsckaia, Nicole Kwan, Chrystal Lee, Gina Lewis, Johnny Mickens, Liza Miller, Meghan O’Connor, Theresa Perkins, Anastasia Pronin, Sunayna Ramdeo, Zareta Ricks, Andrew Schorr, Jonathan Schorr, Ellen Schubert, Alex Scoolis, Rebecca Shafer, Patricia Tessier, Jamie Trowbridge, Leah and Greg VanHorn, Patrick Vassel, Jonathan Wang, Chris and Kim Wilkens, Zhimin Yan, Valerie Yuen, Gregg Arst, Cynthia Fontaine, Elizabeth Lewis, Ryan MacPherson, Rohini Pragasam, Chris Ricks, Humzah Soofi, Sean Strobel, Maza Tiyi Myrie, and Rahul Tripathi!

Meet Courtney

“I was really struggling with my math class, but instead of dropping the class and giving up, I worked extra hard.”

Courtney | Opening Act Alum (Manhattan)

MEET ALEX

“Opening Act prepared me for the real world more than anything else I’ve ever done. It motivated me to go to school and to graduate.”

Alex | Opening Act Alum (Brooklyn)

Read more of Alex’s story.

Meet Uzo

“Opening Act’s determination to make a difference in these young lives through artistic expression is what has committed me to this organization.”

Uzo Aduba | Emmy Award-winning actor, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Read more about Uzo and why she supports Opening Act.

MEET CLEAVON

“Opening Act helped me develop empathy, to look at everyone as a human being and want to understand them. It taught me skills I use every day: to be patient, to listen, to solve problems and help others.”

Cleavon | Opening Act Student (Brooklyn)

Read more of Cleavon’s story.

MEET ODLEY

“It’s an environment where everyone is trying to get out from whatever they’re going through outside that room, so it was a place that I just loved to be.”

Odley | Opening Act Alum (Brooklyn)

Read more about our impact.

CHECK IT OUT!

BRONX:

• The Walton Educational Campus
• Christopher Columbus Educational Campus
• Herbert H. Lehman High School
• Mott Haven Educational Campus
• Bronx Latin & Bronx Career and College Prep
• Bronx Latin Middle School
• Mott Hall V High School / The Cinema School
• Mott Hall V Middle School

BROOKLYN:

• Clara Barton High School
• Digital Arts and Cinema Technology High School
• Cobble Hill School of American Studies
• Canarsie Educational Campus
• The Brooklyn Hub (D79)
• The Alpha School – Center for Progressive Living Inc. (D79)

MANHATTAN:

• Bayard Rustin Educational Complex
• Harlem Renaissance High School (D79)
• The Door(D79)
• The Manhattan Hub MLL (D79)
• Tenzer Educational Complex (D79)
• Youth Action Youth Build (D79)

QUEENS:

• Flushing High School / Veritas Academy

OUR SUPPORTERS 2020-2021

• $50,000+

Ali & Dave Kamin, The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, The New York Community Trust, Angelo Family Charitable Foundation, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Warner Media

• $20,000+

Kristen Bell, Kyra Sedgwick, Rahul Tripathi, Susan Mufson, New York Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, Ira Schreck & Barbara S. Ginsberg, Bruce Grivetti & Paul Feuerman, The Pinkerton Foundation, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Marrus Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Judy Angelo Cowen Charitable Lead Unitrust, M&T Charitable Foundation, Youth INC, Chris and Kim Wilkens, Scripps Family Fund for Education and the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts REDC, Four Friends Foundation, William T Grant Foundation, Goldman Sachs Gives

• $10,000+

Alliance Bernstein, June Warren, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Goldman Sachs, Jamie Trowbridge, Sari Granat, Elizabeth Lewis, Michael Fleming, Kelly Granat, MUFG Union Bank

• $5,000+

Nancy & Tim Comerford, Jesse Angelo, Brian Gallivan, Jonathan Schorr, Morgan Stanley, Amanda Granacher, Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham LLP, James Adams, Gary Lofgren, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Find Your Light, Omar Beer, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, Axe Houghton Foundation, New York City Discretionary Fund, Marco Schnabl, AT&T, National Philanthropic Trust

• $2,500+

Diane & Michael Jackson, Warachal Faison, Iliana Guibert, Tom Viola, Cynthia & Stanley Gutkowski, Theresa Perkins, Americans For The Arts, Rohini Pragasam, Paul Cellupica, Pfizer Foundation, Adam Kansler, Meredith Levine, Elizabeth Smith, Annie Parisse, Julia Kamin, Michele Coyne, Fund for Public Schools Inc., Arthur Miller Foundation

• $1,000+

Gus & Charlie Jackson, Nicole Kwan, Cristi Andrews Cohen, Jeffrey & Mary Bijur, Patrick Cox, William Herrman, Kathy Lathen, Leslie Lopez, Jon Ross & Jen Pehr, Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Foundation, Jennifer Jackson, Mary Beth Myers, Netflix, Annie Tirschwell, Kym Blanchard, Marcus Gardley, Jewish Communal Fund, Alexander Southwell, Leah and Greg VanHorn, Philippe & Stephanie Dauman, Nikki Calliste, Carolyn Conrad, Rachel Chavkin, The Laura B. Vogler Foundation, AIG, Peachy Myers, Lee Robins, Michelle Williams, Andrew Schorr, Donald Pearl, Elisabeth Fontenelli, Erin Gifford, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, Peter Fritz, Pam Hacker, IAC, Thomas Riggs, June Jackson, Edward O’Reilly, Craig Moffat, Jessica Nail, Pearce Larson, Jean Wade Foundation, Tom Donegan and Mark Weinress Charitable Fund

• $500+

Mary Gorman, Johanna Hamel, Emily Mayekar, Cynthia Schwab, Richard Hester, Patrick Vassel, Wendy and Paul Delaney, Lizabeth Newman, Shira Milikowsky, Ed Chidsey, Lewis Tepper, Beth Silber, Riccardo Mancuso, Jennifer Redman, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, The L.E. Phillips Foundation, Lisa Opoku Busumbru, Jesse Liebman, Louis Goldberg, Lisa Akey, Tanya Friedman, Susan Levine, Renee Bishop, Donna Coughlin, Remy Kothe, Marion Herbert, Ravi and Mona Sinha Family Fund, Jake Cinti, Ryan MacPherson, Kristin and Josh Dick, Oliver Smith, Kenneth Corbus, Jamie Yan, Mark Martin, Lenox Advisors Foundation, David Goldschmidt, Mary Isabelle Swartz, James McGinnis, Howard Piggee, Eduardo Vergara, Maysoon Malik, Krysten Ericson, Randall Chafetz, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Aurin Squire, Seth Feldman, Hang a Tale, Inc., Leslie Smith

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This year’s event is going to be awesome!

“Opening Act fills a critical role in underserved schools yada yada yada. Come to this event and prepare to be blown away” -John Doe

Buy Tickets Here!

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Board of Directors

• Jamie Trowbridge, Chair
• Leah Day VanHorn, Vice Chair
• Iliana Guibert, Vice Chair
• Chris Wilkens, Treasurer
• Ashia Johnson, Secretary
• Brittany Adebumola
• Gregg Arst
• Kym Blanchard
• Paul Cellupica
• Michael Fleming
• Drew Garrison
• Pam Hacker
• Ali Kamin
• Nicole Kwan
• Annie Parisse
• Anastasia Pronin
• Jonathan Schorr
• Ira Schreck
• Chen Shao
• Rahul Tripathi
• Loren Black, Board Emeritus
• Elizabeth Buckley Lewis, Board Emeritus
• Maza Tiyi Myrie, Board Emeritus
• Robert Burton, Board Emeritus
• Warachal Faison, In Memoriam

Junior Board

• Jackie Eustis, Co-Chair
• Shayna Jast, Co-Chair
• Lan Lyga, Vice Chair
• Shelley Ortega, Social/PR
• Naz Shams, Finance
• Maura Cassidy
• Sophie Cianfarani
• Sarah Frankel
• Lucas Gilbride
• Shelly Grinshpun
• Hunter Johnson
• Alana Koenig
• Josh Krehe
• Andres Martinez
• Johnny Mickens
• Liza Miller