Case Study: House Seats: Women of Color on Broadway

đź”— Watch on PBS ALL ARTS
Timeline: September 2019 – February 2020
Project Type: Community Arts Programming, Event Production
Services: Strategic Planning, Project Management, Branding & Marketing
Clients/Partners: WOCoB Inc., WNET/PBS ALL ARTS, The Cooper Union
Producer: Victoria Velazquez

Overview & Objective

House Seats: Women of Color on Broadway was a live concert and televised special produced in partnership with PBS affiliate ALL ARTS and presented at The Cooper Union’s historic Great Hall. The event celebrated the artistic legacy and cultural contributions of Black and Brown women in musical theater through media storytelling and tribute performances. Its goals were to deliver a high-quality, accessible arts program aligned with Black History Month, amplify WOCoB’s work via national broadcast, and strengthen ties with established cultural institutions.

Strategy & Execution

Brand Strategy & Community-Building

Victoria developed a multi-platform promotional campaign positioning WOCoB as both a cultural preservationist and community celebrant. The event’s storytelling emphasized legacy, lineage, and liberation—connecting Broadway’s history with contemporary voices. Through media coverage, community outreach, and targeted email campaigns, the team engaged audiences across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Harlem.

Fundraising & Budgeting

Victoria led budgeting and fundraising using a hybrid model combining institutional support and strategic partnerships to meet financial goals. This approach ensured the event remained 100% free and accessible, fully aligned with WOCoB’s mission.

Strategic Partnerships & Institutional Leverage

WOCoB partnered with WNET/PBS ALL ARTS, a then-new cultural streaming platform, and The Cooper Union, whose prestigious venue added legitimacy and historical resonance. The program aired on PBS broadcast channels and was made available on-demand, extending its reach from NYC to a national audience.

Legacy | Community | Brand Framework

Victoria applied her proprietary Legacy | Community | Brand framework to position the project for institutional success and long-term impact:

Legacy: Reputation | Credibility | Resources

  • Reputation: The Great Hall has hosted historic figures ranging from Abraham Lincoln to Audra McDonald, including the first public meeting of the NAACP in 1909, early gatherings for women’s suffrage, and American labor movements.

  • Credibility: WNET’s ALL ARTS series "House Seats" was emerging as a credible PBS program spotlighting the arts. The collaboration gave WOCoB unprecedented mainstream visibility.

  • Resources: Access to The Cooper Union’s production staff, ALL ARTS’ public broadcasting distribution, and WOCoB’s network of Broadway talent created an ideal infrastructure for scale.

Community: Voice | Culture | Engagement

  • Voice: The concert highlighted the voices and stories of women of color in musical theater. WOCoB brought a celebratory, culturally specific tone while PBS and The Great Hall support the historic value.

  • Culture: Grounded in Black history, feminism, and cultural celebration, the event presented musical theater as a vehicle for education and pride.

  • Engagement: The show sold out within hours, with a robust waitlist and three encore performances. Streaming numbers and social shares reflected meaningful, cross-generational engagement.

Brand: Story | Offering | Impact

  • Story: The concert honored living legends like Melba Moore and LaChanze while spotlighting rising stars, drawing a line through generations of performers.

  • Offering: A free public concert and high-quality video production available on PBS and digital platforms.

  • Impact: National exposure for WOCoB, a sold-out show at an iconic venue, and long-term partnerships with legacy institutions.

Metrics & Results (2018–2020)

  • Sold out attendance at The Cooper Union’s Great Hall

  • 8,000+ streaming views across ALL ARTS and local PBS platforms

  • 3 sold-out encore demands

  • Secured national distribution through PBS

  • $65,000 in in-kind production support from institutional partners

  • 100% free admission for attendees

  • Community engagement spanning Harlem, Brooklyn, and Manhattan

  • Strong cross-sector partnership between nonprofit, academic, and public media organizations

Conclusion & Looking Ahead

House Seats: Women of Color on Broadway marked a defining milestone for WOCoB, solidifying its reputation among cultural institutions and NYC audiences. Although the COVID-19 pandemic paused live expansion plans, the event’s success laid the groundwork for digital innovation, including WOCoB’s pivot to visual projects like Summertime, continuing its mission of access and amplification.

This collaboration established WOCoB as a trusted cultural partner for initiatives blending art, education, and advocacy with excellence.