Manhattan Film Festival

"Do you have faith this industry will change? Jarred Bedgood, theater performer, finds himself confronted with an industry that isn’t resolved towards the well being of its artists of color. No one could have prepared for the tumultuous year of 2020 between the racial unrest and COVID-19. Highest on Jarred’s “expecting-list-for-change” was Broadway, whose formatted responses of sympathy fell short, leaving an echo that haunted an entire industry during a historic 18 month long shutdown. After sharing a heart to heart with childhood friend and fellow performer Isaiah Reynolds, Jarred decides to cope by sharing stories amongst other individuals in the industry. Aisha Jackson (Frozen, Paradise Square), Yeman Brown (Jagged Little Pill, Bob Fosse's Dancin’), Ashley De La Rosa (Beautiful, Mean Girls) and Douglas Lyons (Chicken & Biscuits, Beautiful) speak in depth about their personal experiences, touching on Casting, Education, Representation, Accountability and more. A collective yearning for change ignited two protests in New York City to raise awareness for racism on Broadway. We follow Jarred as he attends both the ‘March On Broadway’ and ‘Broadway United for Racial Justice’, interviewing and protesting along the way. Amongst the long list of speakers, we feature Clive Destiny, Rodrick Covington, Adrienne Warren and Eden Espinosa whose words unite an audacious audience as they attempt to shake the foundation of Broadway. The discoveries experienced throughout this project reinvigorated the reason Jarred chose this career in the first place. He found a shared common goal with his fellow artists - a desire to feel safe and have a sense of control in their careers. Broadway has made a lot of promises for change, but real change comes from power. It’s up to the next generation of artists to challenge that power and build the Broadway that’s needed."