'“I wanted to create a space where, through the shared love of theater, we could break down stereotypes, break down walls.”
- Janeece Freeman Clark, Founding Artistic Director
MISSION
Challenging social and cultural narratives through professional theater dedicated to DREAM: Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism, and Mentorship.
Cast and Production Team of Vanguard Theater Mainstage, HAIR
purposeful inclusion of diverse voices and stories;
casting and leadership that reflects our community;
organizing and promoting partnerships that propel cross community conversations with non-arts organizations to connect the stories onstage with real events off-stage
our vision
our values
ARTISTRY: The highest standards for performance and production;
CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL NARRATIVES: Critical thinking about long held assumptions;
DIVERSITY: Honoring and including the richness of all histories and lived experiences on and off stage;
RECIPROCITY: The power of cross-sector partnerships;
EDUCATION: Skill building that nurtures creativity, promotes rigor, and encourages risk-taking and supportive collaboration;
ACTIVISM: Art and artists as catalysts for personal, social, and systemic change;
MENTORSHIP: Influential relationships between diverse industry professionals and young artists.
Our awards and accolades
Michael Jordan Community Grant
NJSCA Citation of Excellence for Dream VTC program
Hyacinth Aids Foundation Social Justice Award
Broadway World NJ Awards; Best Scenic Design of a Play or Musical (Eric Marchetta-Spring Awakening)
New Jersey on Stage Top 15 list 2023
Jessica Sporn NJTA Curtain Call
Congressional Commendation; US Representative Donald Payne Jr
Nassan's Place Community Appreciation Honoree
Janeece Freeman Clark 2022 Tony Nominee Excellence in Education
New Jersey on Stage Top 15 list 2022
Melissa McHugh NJTA Curtain Call
Janeece Freeman Clark Named One of 26 Women To Watch In 2026 By The Montclair Girl
Our deai, anti-racist policy, land acknowledgment
theory of change
the problem
Our society does not value all people’s narratives equally; The theater industry perpetuates inequality through the stories it tells, its casting choices, and its leadership; Underrepresented communities still struggle for equal voice and access.
our impact
Audiences and participants are informed and inspired to think critically about their assumptions; Highly successful community-based partnerships increase attention to critical social issues; Programs provide young people with the experience, skills, and connections to succeed, thrive, and create change in the theater industry and their communities.
our solution
Providing programs and performances that educate, entertain, and empower; Encouraging artists to be catalysts for changing conventional narratives in the theater industry and our communities; Creating cross sector partnerships that amplify each other’s work, voices, and effect.
Our Strategic Plan
Our financials
Our staff and board
VTC is led by founding Producing Artistic Director Janeece Freeman Clark. We live our mission. Our Board is 55% BIPOC and 90% female; the staff is 60% BIPOC and 80% female; our creative team, production team, students, and casts are 55% 52% 53% and 51% BIPOC respectively. Audiences and participants have come from 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties.
Staff
Board
Our history
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With a season that balanced beloved classics and bold new works, VTC continued to challenge narratives and celebrate community. Our productions ranged from the high-energy fun of Legally Blonde and Aladdin Jr. to the moving stories of Tuck Everlasting and Alice by Heart. We brought innovative voices to the stage with Spiritrials and Cordially, Indisposed, and filled the year with joy, spectacle, and heart through Pippin and For the Love of Charlie Brown.
MAINSTAGE
Spiritrials
Pippin
Alice by Heart
Cordially, Indisposed
Tuck EverlastingEDU
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With an award from the Michael Jordan and Jordan Brands Foundations, VTC presents a new works festival, Illuminating New Voices. VTC’s production of Passing Strange draws the attention of Tony Award winning writer Stew, and is named one of the top 15 shows of 2023 by NJ Arts. VTC receives capacity building grants from the NJ Cultural Trust and the Hyde Foundation.
MAINSTAGE
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
Spring Awakening
Illuminating New Voices
Passing Strange
The Spitfire Grill -
VTC joins the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Theater Alliance and participates in its campaign to safely return to in person programming. Janeece Freeman Clark is a Tony Award nominee for Excellence in Education. Expanded programming includes a full and critically acclaimed Mainstage Season, regular drag shows and performances at Montclair Pride. VTC’s production of Rent is named one of the top 15 shows of 2022 by NJ Arts. After a 9 month process, VTC adopts a five year strategic plan.
MAINSTAGE
Rent
Drag Show
A Portrait of Ray
Broadway on Bloomfield
Next to NormalEDU
Seussical Jr. (EDU)
Into the Woods (EDU) -
VTC opens its new Montclair space, intentionally located in the Fourth Ward of Montclair. The location is in the heart of what has historically been the lowest income and most BIPOC neighborhood in an active and diverse town. VTC immediately begins partnering with local restaurants, civic groups, and the Business Improvement District to connect with area residents and become a home for the community, including the Montclair African American Heritage Foundation, Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation, and Our Montclair.
MAINSTAGEMLK Celebration
EDU
Shrek
James and the Giant Peach Jr.
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On March 1, VTC signs a lease for a home of its own in Montclair, NJ. On March 12, Broadway shuts down and the nation goes into quarantine. VTC uses the quarantine to renovate what was the Old Mogul Theater. In order to keep its students engaged, VTC begins remote programming and creates the VTC Next program to train the next generation of composers, lyricists, and backstage artists.
EDU
Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret
The Nightmare Before Christmas
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VTC begins to actively look for a space to build a theater, while continuing to create programming in rented spaces in Northern NJ and Off Broadway NY theaters. VTC adds a kids Day Camp to its summer programming, and expands its partnerships to include Covenant House, NJ.
MAINSTAGE
NJ Pride Annual Drag Show
In Conversation with Jeremy Harris
EDU
Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret
Jungle Book/VTCkids
Runaways in Concert: A Benefit Concert for Covenant House
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VTC creates the DREAM VTC program, to tie artistic performance to activism, and tours teen productions of Children's Letters to God to Nassan’s Place (serving children with autism) and the Senior Home for the Actor’s Fund. VTC expands its community partnerships to include Montclair Film, Everytown for Gun Safety, and NJ Pride.
MAINSTAGETropes, Types, and Tokenism in Film and on Broadway - A Collaboration with Montclair Film
Everything is Fine Until It's Not: A Collaboration with Montclair Film for Autism Awareness Month
NJ Pride Annual Drag Show
EDU
Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret
Thirteen
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Sing for Our Lives - A Benefit Concert for Everytown for Gun Safety
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VTC expands its mentorship and pre-professional training by founding a summerstock sleepaway camp. It continues excellent professional programming with Memphis the Musical at the Westminster Arts Center, and a mixed professional and community production of The Music Man in Concert.
MAINSTAGENJ Pride Annual Drag Show
EDU
Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret
"The Music Man in Concert" in a partnership with The Theater at SOMS
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VTC holds its first Board of Directors retreat and plans for its first Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret, pairing Broadway performers with aspiring professionals, in one-on-one relationships that culminate in a one night only cabaret. VTC begins its hallmark practice of amplifying social issues through the arts by partnering with civil rights community groups for an encore performance of A Portrait of Ray.
EDU
First Inaugural Broadway Buddy Mentorship CabaretFright Nights
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Janeece Freeman Clark and Daryl Stewart Co-Found Vanguard Theater Company and incorporate it as a not for profit corporation.
MAINSTAGE
A Portrait of Ray