Members of the theatre community are known for being tight-knit and supportive of one another, and for carrying that energy of collaboration and creativity onstage and off. With Broadway Serves, Equity members and their colleagues in the industry have the opportunity to project that energy outwards through public service.
Broadway Serves is well over a decade old. Its origins date to 2012, when Equity members Dionne Figgins, Dana Marie Ingraham and Kimberly Marable wanted to respond to the murder of Trayvon Martin in a way that felt productive, where they could support one another. When they heard about the Million Hoodie March in Manhattan, they gathered other actor friends to attend. The sense of camaraderie, of sharing a drive to address injustice, was deeply affecting.
"We were really inspired by how people wanted to make a difference, and really wanted to be agents of change," said Marable. "So we were trying to find a way to move on this momentum, to inspire people to really make a difference in their communities. We decided the most inclusive way to do that is by community service."
Next, the trio formed a contingent to participate in AIDS Walk New York, and from there they were off to seek partner organizations and volunteer opportunities, putting out the call for other theatre professionals to join them. Soon, they were formally Broadway Serves, a non-profit affiliate of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS , where it gets its funding, that provides opportunities for members of the theatre community to volunteer their time. From getting their hands dirty with Habitat for Humanity to gathering school supplies for a drive, they urge theatre artists to not only give of themselves to others, but to do it alongside their industry peers.
The Broadway Serves Team. From left, Equity Eastern Principal Councilor Carla Martinez, Equity member Dionne Figgins and Equity member Kimberly Marable. Photographer: Shani Hadjian/Shani Hadjian Photography.
"It's about cultivating a community within a community," said Carla Martinez, program manager for Broadway Serves (as well as Equity Eastern principal councilor). "Not only are we connecting with everyone around us, but with each other as artists… We're trying to bridge the gap so everybody can be in one place at one time that's not specifically about the work."
"We are doing the work, we're getting our hands dirty – but we're also having a good time!," said Marable. "There's something special about being able to work with your theatrical peers other than doing the work to make money."
From left, Equity members Curtis Holland, Jena VanElslander and Tiffany Renee Thompson volunteering at St. Luke's Soup Kitchen.
As in so many cases, COVID set back Broadway Serves, though they have continued with projects like a monthly shift at St. Luke's Lutheran Church Soup Kitchen. But they are now looking to ramp their offerings up to more than ever before, including launching a new, more accessible website to help get the word out. They are looking to recruit "captains" from productions around New York to be their production liaisons and encourage their colleagues to volunteer.
Upcoming New York opportunities include facilitating an open mic night for youth at Covenant House, as well as running a Halloween party at Breaking Ground – both non-profits dedicated to supporting people experiencing homelessness. Also coming up is the next event for Kids Serve. Broadway Serves especially prides itself on this program, which launched in 2014, offering age-appropriate opportunities for child actors to get a taste for volunteering. For example, they have decorated Thanksgiving gift bags for the meal distribution organization God's Love We Deliver.
"They're seeing you can be a fantastic artist and also a giving and generous human being," said Marable. "And have fun! Child performers don't have a lot of opportunities to just be kids and hang out with other kids their age. This is very much for them, too."
While the name of the organization references its origins, the founders emphasize that their reach goes far beyond Broadway – and is not limited to New York. Broadway Serves: To Go allows theatre artists anywhere in the country to reach out for resources and advice for finding partner organizations in their communities or on the road. Doing the work in person helps connect volunteers to a neighborhood, whether the job is for a week or a year.
"It's important to remember that the people that we serve are our neighbors, and we're essentially in their home when we're coming to work," said Figgins, who noted that she now runs into clients from regular volunteer opportunities. "This is an opportunity for us to build community… Everyone is one challenging circumstance from being in need, so there is not distance between us and the people in those communities in a more vulnerable situation from us."
For the Equity members behind Broadway Serves, showing up to help others is a collaborative experience – just like making theatre.
"We're personable because that's our job," added Martinez. "When we volunteer, we're constantly getting feedback of how we were able to connect, and that does come from us being artists and actors and performers – there's that extra level of care… we can show up in spaces and really make them feel like they're being seen."
"Being in the theatre is providing a service," said Marable. "So it seems to me like a natural sort of connection to the theatre to serve others – and serve ourselves, and that human need to be able to connect with other human beings, and that human need to be caring and kind and generous."
Equity member Suri Marrero (left) and Zani Jones Mbayise at Operation Backpack for the Kids Serve program.
To learn how you can get involved with Broadway Serves, visit their website.
Banner image: Broadway Serves at AIDS Walk NYC: Allyson Daniels, Jennie Harney Fleming, Dana Marie Ingraham, Dionne Figgins, Kimberly Marable, Caileigh Scott, Jermaine Miles, Tryphena Wade, Maurice Murphy and Casey Renee Rogers. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.