Coho Productions Inc

COHO PRODUCTIONS PROVIDES EMERGING ARTISTS WITH ESSENTIAL CREATIVE RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND NETWORKING SUPPORT. THROUGH OUR CO-PRODUCTION MODEL, ANNUAL ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM, CLOWNFEST, AND RESOURCE CENTER, COHO WORKS TO CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND SPACE FOR ARTISTS AND PROJECTS THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE NORMAL REGIONAL AND COMMUNITY THEATRE MODELS, INCLUDING PERFORMERS OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, TRAINING, AESTHETICS, ETHNICITY, AND ECONOMIC STATUS, GIVING VOICE TO A BROAD RANGE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND OFFERING CONTENT RELEVANT TO VARIED POPULATIONS. COHO ARTIST RESIDENCY OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAM COMPENSATES ARTISTS FOR AUTONOMOUSLY CONCEIVED WORK, WITH SUPPORT FROM COHOS MARKETING AND PRODUCTION DEPARTMENTS. RESIDENTS RECEIVE A $3,000 STIPEND AND A 2030-HOUR WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP A NEW WORK. EACH RESIDENCY INCLUDES A PRIVATE/INVITED SHOWING FOR THE ARTISTS TO RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL FEEDBACK, THEN CULMINATES IN A TICKETED SHOWING FOR A PUBLIC AUDIENCE. APPLICATIONS ARE ROLLING, AND FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. COHO HAS COMMITTED TO ENSURING QUEER AND BIPOC REPRESENTATION WITHIN EACH RESIDENT COHORT. IN THE 2026 SEASON, WE WILL OFFER FOUR RESIDENCIES, SUPPORTING ARTISTS IN CREATING FOUR DISTINCT, FULLY PRODUCED EXPERIMENTS THAT ARE COMPLETELY LED BY THE RESIDENTS ARTISTIC VISION. WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE CAN HAVE LASTING EFFECTS. MANY OF THE ARTISTS WE SUPPORT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN COHOS RESIDENCY PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE MORE COMPETITIVE AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES. CO-PRODUCTION PROGRAM COHO PROVIDES UNDER-RESOURCED THEATRE COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS WITH TECHNICAL, FRONT OF HOUSE, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND MARKETING ASSISTANCE WHILE CHARGING A MINIMAL $100 DOOR RECOVERY FEE FOR EACH NIGHT THEY BOOK OUR THEATER, AND SPLITTING TICKET SALES DOWN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN COHO AND THE VISITING ARTIST. SAID ONE RECENT CO-PRODUCER, ON THE DAY OF THE PERFORMANCE IT FELT LIKE EVERYONE WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE SURE WE HAD WHAT WE NEEDED AND TO MAKE US FEEL WELCOME. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME PUTTING ON A SHOW AND COHO'S WONDERFUL STAFF MADE IT SUCH AN UPLIFTING, EMPOWERING EXPERIENCE. ALL THE EQUIPMENT WE NEEDED WAS AVAILABLE. IT FELT LIKE THE THEATER AND STAFF WAS AS INVESTED IN MY ART AS I WAS. ARTIST RESOURCE CENTER LAUNCHED IN 2023, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A RESOURCE LAB, RECORDING STUDIO WITH RECORDING AND EDITING TECHNOLOGY, COWORKING STATION WITH INDUSTRY STANDARD THEATRE DESIGN AND EDITING SOFTWARE, AS WELL AS A PRIVATE MEETING SPACE FOR CREATIVE BRAINSTORMING. IN THIS SPACE, WE COLLABORATE WITH AREA EXPERTS TO OFFER MENTORSHIP, WORKSHOPS, AND SKILL-SHARING SO THAT OUR ARTISTS CAN DEVELOP IMPORTANT SKILLS, FROM VIDEO EDITING AND LIGHT DESIGN, TO SET-BUILDING AND GRANT-WRITING. THE CENTER WAS DESIGNED TO RESPOND TO RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND ADAPT TO DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM OUR LOCAL ARTISTIC COMMUNITY. ACCESS TO THE RESOURCE CENTER IS AVAILABLE VIA A SLIDING-SCALE SUBSCRIPTION, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRADE VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR ACCESS. AS OF 2025, WE LAUNCHED OUR NO STARVING ARTISTS FOOD PANTRY WITHIN THE RC, WHICH IS REGULARLY STOCKED WITH SHELF-STABLE ESSENTIALS, FROZEN MEALS, AND FRESH PRODUCE FROM OUR FARMERS MARKET PARTNERS.CLOWN FESTIVAL EACH FALL, OUR ANNUAL COHO CLOWN FESTIVAL SHOWCASES ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE REGION IN A MONTH-LONG EXTRAVAGANZA OF INDEPENDENTLY CO-PRODUCED CLOWN PERFORMANCES. THE CLOWNFEST EMERGED FROM THE ARTISTIC VISION OF COHOS LATE PRODUCING DIRECTOR PHILIP CUOMO, WHO ENVISIONED OUR LITTLE BLACK BOX THEATER AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR CIRCUS ARTISTS. FROM SURREALISM TO CAMP TO PROTEST ART, THE CLOWN FESTIVAL HAS ESTABLISHED COHO AS THE PLACE FOR CLOWN, FOR PHYSICAL COMEDY WITH AN ABSURDIST SPIN, FOR COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION, AND FOR LETTING GO AND LETTING YOURSELF LAUGH. CLOWNFEST GIVES VOICE TO A BROAD RANGE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND OFFERS CONTENT RELEVANT TO VARIED POPULATIONS, INVITING OUR NEIGHBORS INTO A NOURISHING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PERFORMING ARTS.