The BIPOC theater musician community just got a powerful new ally from the nonprofit sector.
Musicians United for Social Equity (MUSE), a non-profit organization, announced on April 7 that they'd launch a collection of scholarships to support BIPOC musicians who would like to bring their craft into the theater world.
MUSE was co-founded by music directors Kenny Seymour (of Memphis and Ain't Too Proud fame) and Stephen Oremus (who you might remember from Book of Mormon and Wicked). The board consists of acclaimed musicians like Hamilton's Alex Lacamoire, Mean Girls' Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Motown the Musical's Zane Mark.
Together, they aim to open doors for historically marginalized people of color by enhancing racial equity in theater music departments. The MUSE Harold Wheeler Scholarship distributes $2,500 to one aspiring musician of color in theater and the Muse Linda Twine Scholarship offers the same amount to a student-enrolled musician with the same goal.
You can find information on the scholarship program here and become a MUSE supporter here.
