named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley
Restaging of the 1965 Cambridge Union debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr., adapted for contemporary audiences to provoke reflection on race, democracy, and civic discourse. The production has toured in New York, London, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Far From the Nile
Feature documentary by Sherief Elkatsha following 12 musicians from seven Nile Basin countries on a 100-day U.S. tour, exploring cultural exchange and artistic collaboration.
Fight for America!
Participatory tabletop mega-game installation dramatizing January 6, 2021, featuring a 15-foot model of the U.S. Capitol and 10,000 hand-painted miniatures. Audiences engage in gameplay representing opposing factions, guided by a Game Master, to explore the gamification of American politics.
Negative Liberty / Positive Liberty
Immersive one-viewer installation inspired by Isaiah Berlin’s "Two Concepts of Liberty," creating an experiential encounter with political philosophy through intimate performance.
Our American Queen
Play exploring Kate Chase and the limits of women’s power in 19th-century America, examining gender, ambition, and political influence.
Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation
Multimedia collaboration with GRAMMY nominee Gerald Clayton, exploring race and resilience in the American South through the legacy of the Piedmont blues, combining live music, film, and archival imagery.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Professional Theatrical Production 2 activities
- Co-founded and led a professional theater company producing award-winning classical and contemporary worksCo-founded the Classical Theatre of Harlem and oversaw 41 productions that earned 18 AUDELCO Awards, 6 OBIE Awards, 2 Lucille Lortel Awards, and a Drama Desk Award, building institutional capacity in classical theater with a focus on equity and representation.
- Produces and tours theatrical productions reimagining pivotal historical debates on race and democracyCreates and stages live theatrical productions that restage and recontextualize historic debates, such as the 1965 Baldwin vs. Buckley debate, using contemporary artists to engage audiences in civic reflection on American ideals and racial justice. The production "Debate: Baldwin vs Buckley" premiered in New York City in 2020 and is touring through 2026.
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Original Music-Theater and Opera Production 1 activity
- Creates multimedia theatrical works exploring race, resilience, and American cultural identityDevelops and presents original interdisciplinary performances such as "Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation," a collaboration with Gerald Clayton that explores racial history and resilience through music and narrative, presented at Harlem Stage in 2022 and the Port Townsend Jazz Festival.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Produces documentary and media art projects on transnational cultural narrativesProduces feature-length documentaries such as "Far From the Nile," following 12 musicians from seven Nile Basin countries on a 100-day U.S. tour, which premiered as a world premiere and won Best Non-Fiction Feature Film at the Cairo International Film Festival.
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Site-Specific Artistic Installations and Performances 1 activity
- Produces immersive and experimental installations addressing vulnerability, freedom, and pandemic-era experiencesCreates site-specific and one-on-one immersive works such as "Static Apnea," an installation in a 40-foot shipping container exploring breath and endurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and "Negative Liberty / Positive Liberty," an intimate installation examining political philosophies of freedom.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Develops large-scale participatory art installations reflecting on American democracy and societal divisionsDesigns and operates immersive, interactive installations such as "Fight for America!"—a tabletop game featuring a 15-foot model of the U.S. Capitol and 10,000 hand-painted miniatures—that engage up to 20 participants daily in dramatizing events like the January 6 Capitol riot. The installation premiered in London and is preparing for U.S. presentations through 2028.
- Leads community-based arts initiatives for post-disaster healing and developmentCo-produced and directed "Waiting for Godot in New Orleans," a year-long community development project through the arts in post-Katrina New Orleans, integrating performance with social recovery; the project's archives are held in MoMA's permanent collection.
- Stages world premiere productions of literary and politically themed plays and performancesProduces original theatrical works including the world premiere of Ralph Ellison’s "Invisible Man," which received a Helen Hayes Award, and "Shooting Celebrities," a surreal play examining American fame culture, as well as "51st (dream) State," the final work of Sekou Sundiata, premiered at BAM's Next Wave Festival.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$537K
Contributions & grants$502K93%
Program service revenue$35K7%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$996K
Program expenses47%
Admin / overhead53%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$200K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$114K
Cash$41K
Investments$0
Liabilities$8K
Net assets$105K
Liquid reserves0.5 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +201.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher McElroen | Director | 40 | $71K |
board members · 4
- Andrew Cmiel — Director
- Genia Wright — Director
- Joan Magoolaghan — Treasurer
- Michael Goodin — President
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- BAM's Next Wave Festival Partner — Hosted the premiere of "51st (dream) State".
- BRIC Partner — Hosted the broadcast premiere of "Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley" in Brooklyn.
- CNN Partner — Featured _Fight for America!_ in syndicated coverage
- Christopher McElroen Partner — Artistic Director of the organization
- Creative Time Partner — Collaborated with The American Vicarious on the production of "Waiting for Godot in New Orleans".
- Erica Laird Partner — Producing Director of the organization
- Harlem Stage Partner — Presented "Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation" as part of its programming.
- Harlem Stage Partner — Presented the Harlem premiere of "Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation."
- NPR Partner — Featured _Fight for America!_ in syndicated coverage
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Primary funder supporting the organization's projects
- Slate Partner — Featured _Fight for America!_ in syndicated coverage
- Stone Nest Partner — Hosted multiple premieres including "Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley" and "Fight for America!" in London.
- The Flea Theater Partner — Presented world premieres of "Shooting Celebrities" and "Our American Queen."
- The Invisible Dog Art Center Partner — Hosted immersive installations "Static Apnea" and "Negative Liberty / Positive Liberty" in Brooklyn.
- The Museum of Modern Art Partner — Acquired the archives of "Waiting for Godot in New Orleans" into its permanent collection.
- The Observer Partner — Featured _Fight for America!_ in syndicated coverage
- The Washington Post Partner — Featured _Fight for America!_ in syndicated coverage
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.
- Art as Rehearsal for Democracymethodology: art_as_civic_engagementBy using participatory and immersive art forms such as role-based engagement and interactive gameplay, the organization cultivates empathy, democratic participation, and non-zero-sum civic discourse, because experiential art allows audiences to practice dialogue, perspective-taking, and collective problem-solving in a safe, reflective space.
- Artistic Intervention to Bridge Ideals and Realitiesmethodology: interdisciplinary_artistic_confrontationBy creating interdisciplinary artistic content that confronts the gap between American ideals and lived realities, the organization fosters critical reflection and public dialogue, because artistic confrontation makes abstract societal tensions tangible and emotionally resonant.
- Arts-Based Community Recoverymethodology: arts-for-community-developmentBy integrating theater and arts initiatives into post-disaster contexts, the organization supports long-term social recovery and community cohesion, because artistic expression helps communities process trauma, rebuild shared identity, and reclaim agency after crisis.
- Civic Theater as Dialogue Provocationmethodology: civic_theatre_as_dialogue_provocationBy restaging historical debates with contemporary artists without impersonation, the organization makes enduring political ideas accessible and models civil discourse, because reperformed debate creates a reflective distance that invites audiences to reconsider current polarization through the lens of rigorous past dialogue.