What We Do:
Token Theatre Friends is a community for theatre lovers to engage and discover with the work of artists we love. In our weekly web series and podcast, along with our features and reviews, we bring a fresh perspective to the performing arts. Our entire staff and hosts are BIPOC. We don’t talk about representation, we are representation.
We are fully crowdfunded, meaning we don’t answer to boards or industry insiders. Our obligation is to our audience and artists. We are by the people, for the people (so become a Patreon contributor if you can)
Most importantly, we want to create a joyful space that celebrates artists who push boundaries, as well as the fans who love them. So please, take a look around and join in the conversation, we are always looking for more Token Theatre Friends!
How We Started:
We need a TV show (web series) where critics of color discuss theatre. I can come up with the production resources, just need a co-host!
— Jose Solís (@josesolismayen) November 1, 2017
Token Theatre Friends was born from an original idea by Jose Solís who believed BIPOC critics and audience members needed to “see it to be it.” In 2018 he partnered with then American Theatre editor Diep Tran to create the first all-BIPOC video series and podcast. The show ran under the TCG umbrella through 2020, when Solís turned it into an independent outlet completely reliant on crowdfunding through Patreon and small grants.
To date, in both iterations, Token Theatre Friends has aired over 75 episodes. Notable guests have included John Leguizamo, Heidi Schreck, Donja R. Love, Eva Noblezada, Jeremy O. Harris, Lea Salonga, and William Jackson Harper among others.
Who We Are: