HAPPY EARTH DAY! 🌎
Who better to speak on Broadway’s sustainability efforts than the queen of green herself, MOLLY BRAVERMAN! Molly is a Broadway Stage Manager Extraordinaire and the Director of the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA). Hear in Molly’s own words about the BGA’s programs and initiatives.
HAPPY EARTH DAY! 🌎
Who better to speak on Broadway’s sustainability efforts than the queen of green herself, MOLLY BRAVERMAN! Molly is a Broadway Stage Manager Extraordinaire and the Director of the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA). Hear in Molly’s own words about the BGA’s programs and initiatives.
How did you get started with the
Broadway Green Alliance?
I began volunteering for the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) by serving as a Green Captain while on tour with Wicked. I was immediately drawn to their action-oriented work. As a Stage Manager, I was empowered to implement greener practice within my show and on tour, all while gathering data and information to help accelerate the greening of our industry as a whole.
Wicked tour (2010)
We are now living with the consequences of a climate changed world – with even greater threats ahead. The BGA’s mission to educate, motivate, and inspire the entire theatre community and its patrons to adopt environmentally friendlier practices has never been more urgent.
I have always felt an imperative as a theatre-maker to utilize my art and practice as a catalyst for change. The BGA does just that – it empowers theatre artists to address the intersectional challenges that our industry faces and use their unique skills to lead change and build resilience for the work ahead.
It is a dream to be a part of this organization and spend my days connecting with and supporting fellow artist activists.
What have been some of the
BGA’s biggest accomplishments?
The climate crisis did not happen overnight, it is the result of millions of decisions and it demands action — big and small — from each of us. Change results from the cumulative effect of our actions. The BGA has played a critical role in the theatre industry in empowering artists and fans to take a first (or next) step. We focus on cultivating courage and community around the most pressing challenge of our time.
The BGA is proud of the climate action we have taken alongside our members over the years, including:
Tell us a little about your Broadway Green Captain program!
A Green Captain is a green theatre advocate on Broadway, in a college theatre department, on a touring production, at a local venue, or anywhere else that theatre exists. Anyone can be a Green Captain – from crew to wardrobe to actors to ushers – our programs and resources are intended to be inclusive of all people, trades, and interests. Each Green Captain has the opportunity to implement or encourage a wide range of environmentally friendlier practices. With the support of and resources from the Broadway Green Alliance community, they are able to help redefine the industry’s practices to be more sustainable.
No two Green Captains are alike – each brings their own passion, expertise, and goals to the program. There can be multiple Green Captains on a show or in a department – and we would love for you to join us and the over 800 current and alumni Green Captains around the country!
It is a free program and you can sign up here: www.broadwaygreen.com/green-captains
What’s a good resource for theatres and organizations to use to promote and enhance green practices?
The BGA website is full of free resources intended for use by everyone in the industry – all positions and all variety of production sizes.
Our most recent resource is the Greener Reoopening Toolkit. In late 2020, the BGA convened a Task Force of over twenty industry leaders and experts to address the necessary challenge of reopening greener following the COVID-19 shutdown. The result of these conversations is this free toolkit, Reduce, Reuse, Reopen: Sustainable Solutions for Reopening Greener. It is available online as an interactive webpage, and as a PDF in English and Spanish.
This toolkit goes department by department and gives a “menu” of options for each person to consider. These are practical, actionable recommendations, many of which specifically address the challenges of implementing environmentally friendlier practices in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prioritizing health and safety does not need to come at the expense of the environment. In fact, the COVID-19 crisis shines a spotlight on the inextricable link between the health and safety of our people and our planet.
Recently, I was covering as a Stage Manager on the Hamilton tour and saw many of these recommendations in action:
How did you get started with the Broadway Green Alliance?
I began volunteering for the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) by serving as a Green Captain while on tour with Wicked. I was immediately drawn to their action-oriented work. As a Stage Manager, I was empowered to implement greener practice within my show and on tour, all while gathering data and information to help accelerate the greening of our industry as a whole.
We are now living with the consequences of a climate changed world – with even greater threats ahead. The BGA’s mission to educate, motivate, and inspire the entire theatre community and its patrons to adopt environmentally friendlier practices has never been more urgent.
I have always felt an imperative as a theatre-maker to utilize my art and practice as a catalyst for change. The BGA does just that – it empowers theatre artists to address the intersectional challenges that our industry faces and use their unique skills to lead change and build resilience for the work ahead.
It is a dream to be a part of this organization and spend my days connecting with and supporting fellow artist activists.
Wicked tour (2010)
What have been some of the BGA’s biggest accomplishments?
The climate crisis did not happen overnight, it is the result of millions of decisions and it demands action — big and small — from each of us. Change results from the cumulative effect of our actions. The BGA has played a critical role in the theatre industry in empowering artists and fans to take a first (or next) step. We focus on cultivating courage and community around the most pressing challenge of our time.
The BGA is proud of the climate action we have taken alongside our members over the years, including:
Tell us a little about your Broadway Green Captain program!
A Green Captain is a green theatre advocate on Broadway, in a college theatre department, on a touring production, at a local venue, or anywhere else that theatre exists. Anyone can be a Green Captain – from crew to wardrobe to actors to ushers – our programs and resources are intended to be inclusive of all people, trades, and interests. Each Green Captain has the opportunity to implement or encourage a wide range of environmentally friendlier practices. With the support of and resources from the Broadway Green Alliance community, they are able to help redefine the industry’s practices to be more sustainable.
No two Green Captains are alike – each brings their own passion, expertise, and goals to the program. There can be multiple Green Captains on a show or in a department – and we would love for you to join us and the over 800 current and alumni Green Captains around the country!
It is a free program and you can sign up here: www.broadwaygreen.com/green-captains
What’s a good resource for theatres and organizations to use to promote and enhance green practices?
The BGA website is full of free resources intended for use by everyone in the industry – all positions and all variety of production sizes.
Our most recent resource is the Greener Reoopening Toolkit. In late 2020, the BGA convened a Task Force of over twenty industry leaders and experts to address the necessary challenge of reopening greener following the COVID-19 shutdown. The result of these conversations is this free toolkit, Reduce, Reuse, Reopen: Sustainable Solutions for Reopening Greener. It is available online as an interactive webpage, and as a PDF in English and Spanish.
This toolkit goes department by department and gives a “menu” of options for each person to consider. These are practical, actionable recommendations, many of which specifically address the challenges of implementing environmentally friendlier practices in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prioritizing health and safety does not need to come at the expense of the environment. In fact, the COVID-19 crisis shines a spotlight on the inextricable link between the health and safety of our people and our planet.
Recently, I was covering as a Stage Manager on the Hamilton tour and saw many of these recommendations in action:
