irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $445KACADEMY FOR THEATRE, LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY THE PEOPLES THEATRE ACADEMY IS A RIGOROUS, MULTI-YEAR THEATRE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN UPPER MANHATTAN. THROUGH ENSEMBLE-BASED TRAINING, PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP ORIGINAL THEATRE, STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY SKILLS, AND BUILD CONFIDENCE AS ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE ACADEMY PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE ARTISTIC ENVIRONMENT THAT CENTERS DIVERSE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES AND OFFERS FULL SCHOLARSHIPS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS.
- #2 $697KPRODUCING IMMIGRANT THEATRE THE PEOPLES THEATRE DEVELOPS AND PRODUCES ORIGINAL THEATRICAL WORKS THAT CENTER IMMIGRANT STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES. WORKING WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, THE ORGANIZATION CREATES ENSEMBLE-BASED PRODUCTIONS THAT EXPLORE THEMES OF IDENTITY, BELONGING, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. PERFORMANCES ENGAGE AUDIENCES ACROSS NEW YORK CITY AND AMPLIFY VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OFTEN UNDERREPRESENTED ON OUR NATIONS STAGES.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
GUAC
Bilingual solo theatrical production written and performed by Manuel Oliver, telling the story of his son Joaquin "Guac" Oliver, a victim of the Parkland shooting, and transforming personal grief into a call for gun violence prevention.
PTP Academy for Theatre, Leadership & Activism
Rigorous multi-year theatre and social justice leadership program for immigrant youth of color in Upper Manhattan, offering full scholarships and ensemble-based training to develop original theatre and leadership skills.
PTP Company
Professional touring ensemble of immigrant artists of color that creates multidisciplinary, ensemble-based theatre to amplify and humanize the immigrant experience in the United States.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Community-Engaged Theater Production 2 activities
- Advancing racial and social justice through theaterUses theater as a tool to challenge systemic racism, highlight immigrant narratives, amplify LGBTQIA+ voices, and promote racial equity and empathy. Productions and programs are designed to spark dialogue, foster understanding, and advocate for marginalized communities.
- Offering adult and community theater workshopsOffers theater workshops for adults of all backgrounds and abilities, including specialized programs like Write It Out for writers living with HIV, culminating in public sharings of participant-created work and supporting community-driven storytelling from Washington Heights residents.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Delivering school-based theater education programsProvides devised theater curricula to approximately 900 K–12 students annually across about 20 schools in New York City, primarily in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Also offers a Saturday theater program for grades K–5 focused on foundational theater skills and identity-affirming ensemble performances.
- Operating a youth theater and social justice leadership programRuns a multi-year, scholarship-supported theater and leadership development program for immigrant youth and youth of color in Upper Manhattan, focused on ensemble-based training, original theater creation, and fostering belonging and leadership through artistic practice. The program is formalized under the PTP Academy for Theatre, Leadership, and Activism.
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Latino and Multicultural Theater Production 2 activities
- Operating a touring company of immigrant artistsMaintains a multigenerational, New York City-based touring theater company composed entirely of immigrant artists of color who create multidisciplinary, ensemble-based work to amplify and humanize the immigrant experience, celebrate resistance, and promote cultural visibility.
- Producing immigrant-centered theatrical worksDevelops and produces original, ensemble-based theatrical productions that center the stories, struggles, and resilience of immigrant communities in the United States. The organization has created a trilogy of original plays—Las Mariposas, Somos Más, and Doña Mañana—as well as world premieres like "The Diamond" and "GUAC," performed in venues across New York City, often in both English and Spanish.
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Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Building community through collaborative arts initiativesCo-founded The Each-Other Project to build community and visibility for LGBTQ+ People of Color through art and advocacy, and collaborates with community artists and organizations on co-created productions such as "Wayfinding: Señas del Camino."
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosting visual art exhibitions and audience engagement eventsHosts visual art and installation exhibitions alongside theatrical performances to deepen audience engagement. Also organizes public dialogue events such as "Uptown Conversations," featuring prominent artists like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, moderated by the Executive Artistic Director.
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Free Outdoor & Community Theater Productions 1 activity
- Presenting public performances and cultural eventsPresents a range of public performances including cabaret concerts, touring productions for young audiences, play reading festivals, and community block parties. Events include "When You’re Home: An Uptown Cabaret," "Under the Tree / Bajo el Árbol," the New Horizons Play Reading Festival, and the Uptown Fall Fest, all designed to engage diverse audiences in Washington Heights and beyond.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.50M
Contributions & grants$2.26M90%
Program service revenue$161K6%
Investment income$73K3%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$1.90M
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$1.40M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.78M
Cash$687K
Investments$2.03M
Liabilities$741K
Net assets$4.04M
Liquid reserves17.2 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +31.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MINO LORA | EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 40 | $162K |
| ROBERT BRASWELL | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $131K |
board members · 12
- CINDY CAPLAN — BOARD MEMBER
- DEBORAH KATZNELSON — BOARD MEMBER
- HIRAM MIGUEL ARNAUD — TREASURER
- JOSE MORALES — BOARD MEMBER (LEFT JANUARY 2025)
- KEVIN THURMAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- MELANIE WUONG — SECRETARY
- MONICA HIDALGO — BOARD MEMBER
- PHILLIP BETTENCOURT — BOARD MEMBER
- RENATA SCHIAVO — BOARD MEMBER
- RENATA WOROB — BOARD MEMBER
- TANYA BIRL-TORRES — BOARD MEMBER
- ZAHIRA PEREZ — PRESIDENT
relationships · 99
Who they work with
- 20 elementary, middle, and high schools across NYC Partner — Collaborates with approximately 20 schools in New York City to deliver devised theatre curricula to K–12 students.
- After School All Stars Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center Partner — Served as a long-time host site for The People's Theatre Project’s programs prior to its permanent location.
- Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center / Catholic Charities Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Alliance of Teatros Latinos NY Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Altman Foundation Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- Boundless Theatre Company Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Brotherhood Sister Sol Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Carlos E. Hernandez / IKIGAI Management & Media Partner — Co-produced the Uptown Cabaret event with The People's Theatre Project.
- Change the Ref Partner — Collaborates on the production of "GUAC," including co-presenting an accompanying exhibition.
- Charcoalblue Partner — Theater consulting firm involved in shaping the design and functionality of The People's Theatre.
- Christin Eve Cato Partner — Collaborated with playwright Christin Eve Cato on the world premiere of "The Diamond"
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Partner — Community and cultural partner and corporate partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- Con Edison Partner — Corporate partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Dance Project of Washington Heights Partner — Participated in the Community Open House with performances, workshops, or activities.
- Darnell-Moser Charitable Fund Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- David Rockefeller Fund Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- Drama Book Shop Partner — Hosted early productions for The People's Theatre Project Inc, including its 2008 staging of No Exit.
- Drew University Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence Partner — Collaborates through the Joaquín Oliver Artistic Producer role in the development of "GUAC."
- Empire State Development and the New York State Assembly Government — Government partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Envoie Projects Partner — Project leadership organization that guided the realization of The People's Theatre vision.
- Family Planning Practice & Young Men’s Clinic (NYP) Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Find Your Light Foundation Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- Fordham University Partner — Community and cultural partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Fund for the City of New York Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- GJS Family Fund Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
- Guardian Partner — Corporate partner of People's Theatre Project Inc
- Health Equity Initiative Funder — Foundation partner providing support to People's Theatre Project Inc
+ 69 more
strategies · 3
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.
- Co-Created Cultural Hybridity as Community Belongingmethodology: cultural_hybridity_performanceBy blending Broadway, Latin music, familial celebration, and multilingual performance into genre-hopping formats, the organization reflects and affirms the cultural hybridity of Uptown communities—because artistic forms that mirror lived cultural complexity foster deeper connection, participation, and a sense of shared home.
- Community-Centered Storytelling for Humanization and Advocacymethodology: cultural_organizingBy centering lived experiences and self-representation in theatrical storytelling, the organization fosters belonging, humanizes marginalized identities, and shifts public narratives to advance compassionate, dignity-affirming policies—because authentic personal narrative deepens emotional connection and catalyzes advocacy more effectively than traditional activism alone.
- Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Through Ensemble-Based Theatremethodology: culturally_sustaining_pedagogyBy using an ensemble-based, devised theatre process rooted in culturally sustaining pedagogy, the organization empowers immigrant youth and communities to honor their identities, prioritize joy, and develop artistic and leadership skills—because creative ownership of cultural expression strengthens social-emotional growth and community agency.