KAYLEE MESA IS A GRADUATE OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON AND HAS WORKED WITH SOUTH COAST REPERATORY AND CHANCE THEATER.
The Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce that Kaylee “Mesa” Mesa (they/them) has been chosen as the National Vision, Inc. BIPOC Stage Management Fellow for the 2023/24 Season. A graduate of California State University, Fullerton, Mesa has relocated to Atlanta and began their fellowship in August.
Mesa received their BA in Theatre Design and Technical Production with an emphasis in stage management. They recently finished the Beyond the Stage Door fellowship, a rigorous stage management program in New York City designed to teach and uplift recent BIPOC college graduates. Their stage management credits include After Juliet (South Coast Repertory), Appropriate (SCR), A Small Man (SCR), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Chance Theater), The SpongeBob Musical (CSU Fullerton), The Book of Unknown Americans (CSUF), and Beauty and the Beast (CSUF).
“I am beyond honored to have been chosen for the fellowship. Getting this fellowship means a lot to me, it is a jumpstart in my early-stage management career,” Mesa says. “This fellowship I feel will help me toward my next big career goal: Broadway. I am in awe of all the shows and theater professionals who were or are on Broadway who have collaborated with the Alliance. I am so thankful to the Alliance Theatre for their dedication to breaking down barriers for BIPOC theater works in the industry, and for choosing me to be part of this ongoing dedication."
As the National Vision, Inc. BIPOC Stage Management Fellow, Mesa will work as a contributing member of the stage management department at the Alliance Theatre. They will work as the stage manager or assistant stage manager, primarily on the Coca-Cola Stage, for productions including the holiday favorite A Christmas Carol, as well as a co-production with another regional theatre and a commercially enhanced, world premiere musical with a Broadway-experienced creative team. Additionally, they will be afforded the opportunity to develop a network of mentors inside and outside the Alliance while building a resume of top-of-field work experience.
“Alliance Theatre has given me a life-changing opportunity through this fellowship: the opportunity to work and collaborate with top theater professionals, the opportunity to do equity work and receive my equity membership and the opportunity to be mentored during the whole process,” Mesa continues. “This is as much an educational opportunity as it is a professional one that I am excited to have been selected for. The Alliance has showcased the top level of theater production. I know the training and experience I receive will benefit and prepare me for my future.”
ABOUT THE NATIONAL VISION, INC. BIPOC STAGE MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The stage manager is the actor’s advocate, show’s guardian, and production’s liaison for all aspects of the production. They ensure the director’s vision is realized while creating a safe working environment for all. Too often, the stage manager is a white person even on a production where most of the cast and creative team are Black, Indigenous, or persons of color (BIPOC). After a year of intentionally listening to the needs of our BIPOC artist community, a through line surfaced: “I wish there were more stage managers sitting at the table who looked like me.” We must correct this imbalance not only at the Alliance Theatre but as an industry if we want our productions and staff to reflect the communities we serve. The Alliance is linking arms with stage management graduate programs, creating a pipeline of full-time work for emerging BIPOC stage managers to diversify the field through the BIPOC Stage Management Fellowship Program.
To apply, candidates must 1) identify as a BIPOC theatre maker, 2) be an MFA in Stage Management student in their final year or have graduated from an MFA in Stage Management program in the past 3 years, and 3) be willing to relocate to Atlanta, Georgia for the fellowship. A diverse panel of professional stage managers and theatre leaders select the final candidate, and the panelists also serve as a resource to the Fellow during their time in residence.
Learn more about the BIPOC Stage Management Fellowship Program.
Support for this program is provided by National Vision, Inc., the second largest optical retail company by sales in the United States. National Vision is based in Duluth, Georgia, and has more than 1,300 stores in 44 states and Puerto Rico. By sponsoring the 2023/24 BIPOC Stage Management Fellowship Program, National Vision is advancing its philanthropic impact to support inclusion while celebrating visibility and representation in the arts in its corporate hometown.
Learn more about National Vision, Inc.
