A new musical called “Co-Founders” brings together tech, hip-hop, art, and Bay Area culture. This show began in a garage and is pushing new boundaries in theater.
Before the official dress rehearsal, NBC Bay Area was invited to watch rehearsals at ACT’s studio in downtown San Francisco. The creators behind “Co-Founders” are Ryan Nicole Austin, Beau Lewis, Adesha Adessela, and director Jami Jude, who is helping bring the show to life. Nicole Austin and Adessela both grew up in Oakland.
“For me, I want this to make the Bay Area proud,” Nicole Austin said. “I want it to show pride in many ways.”
The story of “Co-Founders” is one many people can relate to, especially those from the Bay Area. It follows a Black woman from West Oakland and a white college dropout as they work together to start a business in Silicon Valley.
The story is loosely based on Beau Lewis’ life. He worked in tech in Seattle before moving to the Bay Area in 2016 to start a viral media company.
“I began a weekly freestyle rap therapy group called Rhyme Combinator with three other founders who were also chasing startup dreams. That became the basis for the story,” Lewis said.
The musical also explores how tech has changed Bay Area culture, including gentrification.
“Our main character is a woman fighting to save her home,” Nicole Austin explained. “She’s the last person left on her block. Her struggle grows into something bigger as the story unfolds.”
Adessela added, “Tech itself is not the problem. Tech means innovation and creation. But the business side, the capitalist mindset, can corrupt that spirit of innovation.”
Nicole Austin said, “It depends on the values behind the technology and how it affects the community.”
“We are often overlooked,” Adessela said. “This show highlights the many tech workers living in urban areas. It shows there is a spirit of innovation there, just like in Silicon Valley. Imagine if those two worlds came together.”
The musical’s anthem, “Silicon Valley to Vallejo,” features famous Bay Area artists like E-40, Tajai from Heiroglyphics, and Stunna-Man.
“These artists are my heroes. Their sound and independent spirit inspired me,” Lewis said.
This musical is not just about the music. The creators say it is one of the most high-tech shows ever produced.
“Trying to add new technology to theater, which usually resists change, has been a big challenge,” Jude said.
The production uses a gaming program called Unreal Engine to create digital avatars.
“We have humans playing digital hologram characters that interact with other humans on stage,” Lewis said. “I believe this is the first time this has been done.”
Nicole Austin explained simply, “A person plays a character on the screen, and they act alongside a real person.”
Behind all the technology, music, and dance, the creators hope the show reaches Broadway and tours widely. More importantly, they want people to see their own stories and communities in the show.
“I hope we are building a foundation for a strong arts industry here in the Bay Area because the talent is here,” Nicole Austin said. “We just haven’t always had the chance.”
Adessela added, “This show shines a positive light on the Bay, especially Oakland, which often gets negative press. It reminds people how much innovation has come from this place.”
Lewis hopes the show can bring people together. “Even if groups seem different on paper, if they see themselves in the story, they might build partnerships. Together, we can create the future.”
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