Wendell Pierce Backs $10M Investment to Uplift Historic Black Theatres in New York

Veteran actor and Tony Award-winner Wendell Pierce is putting his star power and resources behind a $10 million initiative to revive and support historic Black theatres in New York.

The investment, part of a broader push tied to the proposed Caesars Palace Times Square project, aims to bolster production, marketing, and visibility for long-standing Black-led cultural institutions.

The funds will be directed through the New York Coalition of Legacy Theatres of Color Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established to support marginalized theatrical organizations.

Beneficiaries include the Billie Holiday Theatre, the Black Spectrum Theatre, and The Negro Ensemble Company—pillars of Black artistic expression that have shaped American theatre for decades.

“As an artist and advocate, I believe that the social justice movement of the 21st century is economic development and creating opportunities that sustain and uplift our communities, both on stage and beyond,” Wendell Pierce said in a statement shared with Playbill.

The $10 million pledge is part of a larger $250 million community investment tied to the proposed Caesars Palace Times Square casino and hotel, a project spearheaded by Caesars Entertainment in partnership with Roc Nation and Live Nation.

The proposal outlines a $240 million package for the broader Broadway community, including:

• $32 million for childcare, rent assistance, and relief from student and medical debt for Broadway workers
• $20 million to fund Broadway ticket access for underserved families

Additionally, the plan includes:

• $81 million for a public safety initiative in surrounding neighborhoods
• $15 million for a new Civil Rights Museum led by the Civil Rights Foundation
• $5 million for the Callen-Lorde Center for Excellence in Sexual Health

Wendell Pierce, who made history as the first Black actor to portray Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman on Broadway, has long been a vocal advocate for equity in the arts. His endorsement of the Times Square casino project carries weight within the theatre community.

“Caesars Palace Times Square is a formidable investment, creating access and opportunity, with a profound creation of jobs in the greatest cultural economy of the world,” said Wendell Pierce. “This project will not only be transformative for our creative Broadway community but for the broader labor force as well.”

He added that the initiative marks a powerful step toward ensuring communities of color aren’t merely included in New York’s cultural future but are at the forefront of shaping it.