New Jersey Theatre Alliance Announces 2024 Career Accelerator Program Fellows

Published by New Jersey Stage
05/17/2024

New Jersey Theatre Alliance ("the Alliance"), has announced their second annual cohort of Career Accelerator Fellows: Ronni Hom, Alisha Sheth, and Asia Todd. The three Fellows are participating in a 6-month paid experience comprising placements with professional theatres and the Alliance itself to learn about theatre management in real-world contexts.

"New Jersey Theatre Alliance created this program because we know that there are many incredible early-career theatre makers of color not yet connected to the professional theatre community in New Jersey,” said Erica Nagel, Deputy Director of the Alliance. “These three emerging theatre professionals have already shown that they will be an important part of creating the flourishing and equitable future for the arts in our state and region envisioned by the Alliance and its member theatres.”

The three Fellows, chosen from a pool of over 30 highly-qualified applicants are:

Ronni Hom (She/They), Hackettstown - Ronni is a dramaturg, filmmaker, and visual artist who recently graduated from Montclair State University, with degrees in Filmmaking and Theatre Studies. Their previous film credits include Cavies: A Documentary (2022), The Three Graces (2021), and Contrition (2020), and their thesis film, Peaches, is currently in post-production. Ronni’s select previous theatre credits include Children of Eden (The Strollers), 1984 (interACT Theatre Productions), and Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Studio Players). In the Fall ’22 semester they were a Dramaturgy Intern for the New Jersey Play Lab. Ronni is ecstatic to be working with the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, as their mission of equity and accessibility is very near and dear to their heart. In all of their artistic and administrative endeavors, Ronni hopes to uplift people and celebrate both the things that make us all unique, as well as the humanity that connects us all.

Ronni is working with Premiere Stages at Kean University (Union), Vivid Stage (Summit), and New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

“The Career Accelerator program has really helped me grow as a dramaturg and arts administrator so far,” says Ronni. “It’s been wonderful to observe and be a part of the literary management team at Premiere Stages and to work closely with the artistic director at Vivid Stage, as well as to introduce myself to a broader network of non-profit theatre organizations through the Alliance. These first few months of the fellowship have pushed me out of my comfort zone while also reaffirming kindness as my driving force, and I am very grateful to have access to this experience!”

Alisha Sheth (She/Her), Piscataway - After graduating from New York University’s Vocal Performance Undergraduate program, Alisha has pursued musical theater performance and production. It wasn’t until her year-and-a-half residency with a South Korean children’s English education theater, that she found her passion for theatre outreach. Upon her homecoming, Alisha continued participating in educational theatre outreach as a teacher, performer, and production crew member. “While I love seeing the immediate impact of outreach programs, I want to expand the idea of theatre as an alternative educational tool by creating new accessible programs,” she says. Alisha intends to spend her fellowship with the New Jersey Theater Alliance assisting existing programs, further preparing her for a future in Educational Theater Administration.

Alisha is working with New Jersey Theatre Alliance, Luna Stage (West Orange), and Two River Theater (Red Bank).

“The Career Accelerator Program has given me true agency over my experience to learn and grow toward my goals as a budding education administrator in theater,” says Alisha. “My application was carefully considered when choosing my placements and the projects I would be assisting with, and the program supervisors continually check-in with the fellows taking great care to listen, support, and advocate for us. These actions may seem small, but this attention to detail has given me more confidence to participate and take initiative within my placements being reassured that while these placements may be temporary, my time in the New Jersey theater sector is not. Thank you to all who have made this program possible.” 

Asia Jenine Todd (She/Her/Hers), Linden - Asia is a New Jersey-based theatre and film artist with experience and interest in artistic direction, acting, casting, writing, and editing. With her strong willingness to learn, Asia has always been open to exploring the different means of creation within the theatre sector. It is this willingness that has allowed her to try her hand in areas of theatre both creative and administrative such as management, prop making, scenic design, dramaturgy, producing, and more.

She recently received her bachelor’s degree in theatre arts and radio, television, and film from Rowan University; where she was the proud recipient of the 2023 Excellence in Diversity Award, and the Ann B. Ward Creative Achievement in Fine and Performing Arts medallion for her work in the one-woman show The Penny Executive by Foster Solomon. Throughout her blossoming theatre career, Asia has had the pleasure of working with NJ and PA-based theatre companies such as Mystic Vision Players, Azuka Theatre, and Theatre in the X. Asia is working with Art House Productions (Jersey City), New Jersey Theatre Alliance, and Vanguard Theater Company (Montclair).

“As a recent college graduate, I am beyond grateful to have been introduced to the New Jersey Theatre Alliance’s Career Accelerator Fellowship Program,” says Asia. “In the short time I have been in this program, I have gotten the chance to meet and work with so many knowledgeable and uplifting artists and administrators within the New Jersey Theatre field. Being able to attend a variety of networking events and enrichment sessions held by the Alliance has been a crucial part of my development as an emerging theater administrator and person as a whole. I have truly felt supported and heard on each step of this journey thus far! Because of this, I am especially thankful to the Alliance Staff members, Daria M. Sullivan and Erica Nagel, as well as my mentors Meredith Burns (Executive Artistic Director at Art House Productions in Jersey City, NJ) and Janeece Freeman Clark (Founder and Artistic Director of Vanguard Theatre Company in Montclair, NJ) for their continuous advocacy and assistance as I navigate this new career path.”

In addition to learning in the field, the paid fellows participate in enrichment seminars, one-on-one mentoring meetings, and ongoing check-ins with the Theatre Alliance staff. This program is part of the Alliance’s ongoing commitment to moving the theatre field toward a more just, equitable, accessible, and anti-racist future.

As a mentor for the Fellows, and the Manager of Programs and Services at The Alliance, Daria M. Sullivan, explains her enthusiasm for the program, “This initiative is one of my favorites to support. The magic is that it elevates and educates all involved — the fellows, the theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. We are all working to create a more equitable field and the Career Accelerator Program is evidence of that. I am honored to connect with these incredible fellows and I’m thrilled to see where all their talents and strengths lead. Any organization is lucky to have them onboard, us included.”

Marshall Jones, III, President of the Alliance Board of Trustees and  Associate Dean for Equity, Associate Professor – Theater, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers, the State University of NJ, adds, “As a theater professional and educator, I am so proud of this outstanding program on so many levels. First off, it's a great opportunity for emerging leaders of color who have a commitment to the great state of New Jersey.  Three lucky individuals have the opportunity to intern with 3 of our member theaters, and most importantly be duly compensated.  There's no doubt that the fortunate participants will have their career accelerated.”

Applications for the 2025 Career Accelerator Program Cohort will open in fall 2024. Learn more about the program here.

 To stay up to date and be notified when the application process opens, follow New Jersey Theatre Alliance on Facebook and Instagram, or join their mailing list here.

The Career Accelerator Program is made possible in part by the support of The F.M. Kirby Foundation, the RSI Foundation, and an anonymous donor. 

Founded in 1981, New Jersey Theatre Alliance was the first statewide service organization for professional, not-for-profit theatre companies in the United States, and is a leader in developing model programs that unite, promote, strengthen, and cultivate professional theatre in New Jersey.

Funding for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, a not-for-profit organization, is provided in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, and contributions from numerous individuals, corporations, and foundations including Amazon, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Grunin Foundation, MidAtlanic Arts Foundation, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Bank of America, City National Bank, The Shubert Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, The F.M. Kirby Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, The Union Foundation, New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance, and OceanFirst Foundation