Monday, the Museum of Broadway hosted a cocktail hour and raised a glass to Black creatives in honor of their new temporary exhibit featuring Black storytellers.
The Museum of Broadway invited Black creatives like Tony winner Alex Newell, T.V. personality Peppermint and critically acclaimed author Salisha Thomas to celebrate the premiere of their new exhibit — Crafting Excellence: Black Storytellers of Broadway.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 03: A view of scenery as the Museum of Broadway celebrates the special exhibit “Crafting Excellence: Black Storytellers of Broadway” at the Museum of Broadway on February 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Museum of Broadway)
The exhibit features art honoring past figures like Duke Ellington, Lorraine Hansberry and Jeremy O. Harris, and Black artists of today, such as Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo. The exhibit, which will be at the Museum of Broadway through March 16, was created in partnership with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Black Theatre United (BTU), Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC) and Building The Change.
During the reception, the museum’s co-founder, Julie Boardman, explained the importance of reflecting on Black history.
“We look to the past to build our future, and hopefully a more inclusive, diverse future, ” Boardman said. “[This exhibit] is so important right now, especially when the arts are being challenged by some in our society.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 03: (L-R) Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti attend as the Museum of Broadway celebrates the special exhibit “Crafting Excellence: Black Storytellers of Broadway” at Museum of Broadway on February 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Museum of Broadway)
Boardman invited the executive director of the BAC, Elz Cuya Jones, to speak about the significance of black storytelling.
“I am especially proud to be a part of this incredible exhibit,” Cuya Jones said. “I’m a black storyteller, and at BAC we believe in the power of theatre and use storytelling as a catalyst for change.”
Carin Ford, a founding member of BTU, shared how the Museum of Broadway supported BTU’s efforts to employ black creatives on Broadway. She mentioned how President Donald Trump’s recent rollbacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs make the Museum of Broadway and BTU’s work more important than ever.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 03: Carin Ford speaks as the Museum of Broadway celebrates the special exhibit “Crafting Excellence: Black Storytellers of Broadway” at the Museum of Broadway on February 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Museum of Broadway)
“I want to say thank you to the Museum of Broadway. You’re opening things up for people of color and letting people know we can do these jobs,” Ford said. “It’s about opportunity, so thank you for lifting us up.”
