APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR THE 7TH YEAR OF THE CODY RENARD RICHARD SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Press Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Bailey Everett
rick@omdkc.com / bailey@omdkc.com
212 695 7400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
APPICATIONS NOW OPEN
FOR THE 7TH YEAR
OF THE CODY RENARD RICHARD SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
BTC
New York, NY (October 8, 2026) – Applications for The Cody Renard Richard Scholarship Program are now open. Much like previous years, the seventh cycle of The CRR Scholarship Program will continue to distribute $100,000 amongst 10 recipients and will offer the cohort various online work sessions focused on leadership, community building, professional growth, and more.
The program seeks to uplift and support the next generation of theatrical leaders of color working behind the scenes. The program is run in partnership with the BTC and works hard to help continue and build upon their shared mission of championing the next generation.
Much like previous years, The CRR Scholarship Program will award 10 recipients a financial grant and will offer the cohort various online work sessions connected to leadership, community building, and mentorship. This cycle will conclude with an all expenses paid trip to New York City to meet with mentors, attend panels with leading industry professionals and interact with the Broadway scene in person.
Cody Renard Richard states, “We are thrilled to be opening up applications for our 7th year of the program. If you are a student of color seeking community, looking to deepen your capacity for leadership and responsibility, or wanting a space where you can stand in your power and own your voice then this program is for you. We are looking forward to reviewing all of the applicants and curating our next cohort!”
Over the last six years, the program has accepted 65 students and has over $550,000 amongst them. Past scholars have gone on to work across the industry on Broadway in shows like Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Proof, Every Brilliant Thing, Buena Vista Social Club, Hamilton, Sweeney Todd, The Last Five Years, A Wonderful World, Lempicka, Maybe Happy Ending, and Disney’s Aladdin, on tour with Jagged Little Pill and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, and across the country in regional theaters like Lincoln Center Theater, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Geffen Playhouse, Geva Theatre, The Shed, The Public Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse. Past mentors and speakers include Whitney White, Narda Alcorn, Saheem Ali, Jocelyn Bioh, Zhailon Levingston, Rachel Chavkin, Ann James, Schele Williams, Sammy Lopez, Clint Ramos and other prominent leaders from the theatre industry.
“The CRR Scholarship provided me, not only with a community of inspiring individuals, but a tangible experience to reflect on when needing hope,” says Vera Lynn Alonzo, a 2025-2026 recipient. “When I consider the impact this scholarship had on me, I will credit it with being the necessary push to fully embrace my dreams.”
Applications are now open through Sunday, November 22 at 11:59pm EST. Applicants will be selected and informed by January 2027. Eligible applicants will need to submit a one-minute video essay describing why they are the ideal candidate for the program, along with their current transcript and two letters of recommendation.
To donate or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please visit CRRscholarship.com or email scholarship@codyrenard.com.
For additional information, please visit CRRscholarship.com or @CRRScholarship on Instagram.
ABOUT BTC
BTC was founded by T. Oliver Reid and Warren Adams during the Summer of 2019. They identified the disparity between the growing inclusivity onstage, versus the almost non-existence of Black professionals off stage. They invited their colleague, Reggie Van Lee, to join them as Co-Founder in their march towards dismantling the systemically racist and biased ideology in the theatrical job space. BTC officially filed as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in June of 2020.
BTC’s mission is to remove the “Illusion of Inclusion” in the American Theatre by removing barriers to access for those who have been historically marginalized and building a sustainable, ethical roadmap that will increase opportunities for the next generation of emerging talent.
For more information about BTC, visit their website https://buildingthechange.org/.
ABOUT CODY RENARD RICHARD
Cody Renard Richard is a Tony Award winning producer, stage manager, advocate and educator. As a stage manager on Broadway, he has worked on 20 productions and was most recently the Production Stage Manager for Ragtime at Lincoln Center and Cats the Jellicle Ball on Broadway. Some favorite SM credits include: Lempicka, Sweeney Todd (’23 Revival), Into the Woods (’22 Revival), Freestyle Love Supreme, Hamilton, VMAs, Tony Awards, Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Cirque du Soleil, 4 Live! televised Musicals on NBC and 10 productions with NY City Center Encores!. As a producer, Cody has Co-Produced the Broadway revivals of Othello, Parade (Tony Award), A Strange Loop (Tony Award), Thoughts of a Colored Man, as well as the National Tour Moulin Rouge. On top of his production credits, he has been an adjunct professor at Columbia University for the last 5 years after previously serving as adjunct faculty at New York University and Fordham University. He’s the founder of The Cody Renard Richard Scholarship Program for aspiring theatre makers of color. The program is now run in partnership with Black Theatre Coalition. He is also a founding member of RISE Theatre Directory; a theatrical database geared to uplift underrepresented individuals in the theatre. Cody has appeared live on CNN and has been interviewed on The Kelly Clarkson Show, WNBC and NY1. He’s a 2020 OUT100 honoree, a Kennedy Center Next 50 honoree and was named to Variety Magazine’s Broadway Players to Watch list – the only stage manager to receive these honors! Cody also sits on the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. More info at www.codyrenard.com @codyrenard
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