named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Performing the Revolution
Podcast series co-created by Meropi Peponides exploring revolutionary themes in performance and culture; at least two seasons produced
Songs About Trains
Original musical production directed by Rebecca Martinez and music directed by Julián Mesri, produced in collaboration with Working Theater and Radical Evolution
The Golden Drum Year
Interactive 3-dimensional art installation combining poetry, music, and video, developed from a year-long daily poetry project by co-founder Beto O'Byrne
activities · 6 groups
What they do
-
Original Music-Theater and Opera Production 1 activity
- Co-founding and sustaining a multi-disciplinary artistic collectiveCo-founded Radical Evolution, a multi-ethnic, multi-disciplinary producing collective based in Brooklyn, NY, and maintains ongoing creative leadership in dramaturgy, curation, and collaborative production.
-
-
New Play Development Programs 1 activity
- Conducting workshops and developmental productions for new theatrical worksConducts developmental workshops, readings, and staged presentations to support the creation of new theatrical works, such as "Songs About Trains," "Loving and Loving," and "The Golden Drum Year," often in collaboration with theaters and arts institutions.
-
-
Community-Engaged Theater Production 1 activity
- Creation and production of original performance worksDevelops and produces original live performance events, including plays, musicals, street theater, and interactive installations that explore mixed-identity experiences, labor exploitation, media bias, and social justice issues. Examples include "(DIS) ORIENTATION: A People’s CUNY," "The Modern Media Circus," "E-R-I-C," and "People’s Budget Endgame Trailer."
-
-
Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Development and facilitation of antiracist education programsFacilitates structured antiracist learning initiatives including monthly book discussions via Zoom and Discord, creation of affinity spaces for non-Black people of color and white allies, and maintenance of a documented reading program that engaged with antiracist literature from July 2020 to June 2021.
-
-
Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Production of political and justice-focused podcasts and publicationsProduces audio and print media to advance understanding of social justice and mixed-identity experiences, including a limited-series podcast connecting global stories of artists using theater for justice, season two of the podcast "Performing the Revolution" (in development), and a hardcopy cookbook featuring recipes, performance exercises, and community practices.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Organization of political performance festivals and public eventsOrganizes and hosts festivals and pop-up events that bring together artists, community organizations, and collectives for political and cultural expression, including the 'For the Streets!' festival, the 'Go Green: Pop Up!' festival, and other one-day public gatherings featuring live music, performances, food vendors, and local businesses.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$96K
Contributions & grants$91K95%
Program service revenue$5K5%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$96K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$82K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$72K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$72K
3 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue -25.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| John P Smith | treasurer | 20 | $22K |
| Meropi Peponides | secretary | 20 | $21K |
board members · 3
- Andrew Belcher — Board President
- Jane Jung — board member
- Jonathan Hogstad — board member
relationships · 60
Who they work with
- ART/New York Partner — Provided support or collaboration for the Janam International Exchange program.
- Actors Theatre of Louisville Partner — Presented a regional production of "Loving and Loving" in 2024.
- Barnard Center for Research on Women Partner — Organizational partner supporting the work of the Street Theatre Crew.
- Bishop Arts Theatre Center Partner — Presented the regional premiere of "Loving and Loving" in 2020.
- Brooklyn Arts Exchange Partner — Collaborated on the production and development of performance works.
- Brooklyn Arts Exchange Partner — Supported the development of "Loving and Loving".
- Dancers for Palestine Partner — Collaborates with Dancers for Palestine at public events and festivals.
- Denise Shu Mei Partner — Visual architect and creative editor of the cookbook project.
- Donkeysaddle Projects Partner — Collaborates with Donkeysaddle Projects at public events and festivals.
- El Teatro Campesino Partner — Collaborated on the production and development of performance works.
- El Teatro Campesino Partner — Featured in the podcast series for its historical role in supporting farmworker strikes through performance.
- Enthuse Theater Partner — Andrew Belcher is a company member of Enthuse Theater and collaborated with Radical Evolution on The Golden Drum Year.
- Francesca Barr Partner — Features Francesca Barr, an artist and arts educator, in festival programming.
- Geva Theater Partner — Presented co-developed productions including "Sancocho" and "Somewhere Over the Border."
- Harlem Arts Festival Partner — Hosted a public reading of "Loving and Loving" in June 2014.
- IRT Theatre Partner — Collaborated on the production and development of performance works.
- IRT Theatre Partner — Partnered on the Archive Residency program for the development of "Songs About Trains."
- InkTANK festival Partner — Hosted a reading of "Loving and Loving" in Winter 2015.
- Jana Natya Manch Partner — Collaborated on the creation of "(DIS) ORIENTATION: A People’s CUNY" following a two-week exchange with the Radical Evolution Street Theatre Crew.
- Jana Natya Manch Partner — Collaborated with Jana Natya Manch to co-create a play addressing labor exploitation in higher education.
- Jana Natya Manch Partner — Collaborated with Radical Evolution to co-create a short play and conduct a workshop residency in New York City.
- Kinan Valdez Partner — Directed the performance "Little Known Legends"
- Kippy Winston Media Partner — Provided public relations services for Radical Evolution's production of The Golden Drum Year.
- Loisaida, Inc. Center Partner — Partners with Loisaida, Inc. Center to support underrepresented and emerging artists and cultural workers.
- MassBliss Partner — Andrew Belcher is the Founder of MassBliss and collaborates with Radical Evolution; Simón Hanukai serves as Performing Arts Curator for MassBliss.
- Meropi Peponides Partner — Co-founder of Radical Evolution and contributor to the development of the cookbook project.
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Provided funding that made the Performing the Revolution podcast series possible.
- New Ohio Theatre Partner — Co-produced the world premiere of "Songs About Trains" and hosted developmental workshops through the Archive Residency and Ice Factory programs.
- PSC-CUNY Brooklyn College Chapter Partner — Collaborates with PSC-CUNY Brooklyn College Chapter on advocacy and worker rights initiatives.
- Pregones PRTT Partner — Collaborated on the production and development of performance works.
+ 30 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Antiracism as Embodied Practicemethodology: antiracism_as_practiceBy treating antiracism as an ongoing, collective practice rather than a fixed curriculum, and using literature-based discussion to foster accountability, the organization cultivates sustained personal and structural change, because continuous engagement with anti-Blackness through dialogue and action produces deeper transformation than one-time training.
- Community-Engaged, Movement-Partnered Theatremethodology: movement_partnered_performanceBy co-developing performances directly with community stakeholders, organizers, unions, and movement workers, the organization ensures political relevance and accountability, because embedding activist voices in the creative process strengthens resonance with social justice struggles and deepens public engagement.
- Ensemble-Based Collaboration Across Differencemethodology: ensemble_based_collaborationBy bringing together artists from disparate cultural and artistic backgrounds—particularly centering people of color and intersectional identities—the organization fosters relational capacity and breaks down cultural barriers, because authentic collaboration across difference generates transformative artistic and social outcomes.
- Theatre as Future-Building and Political Imaginationmethodology: theatre_as_future_buildingBy using theatre to collectively imagine just futures and reframe historical or contemporary struggles, the organization inspires action and transformation, because artistic imagination enables audiences and participants to envision and work toward alternative social realities.