Ken Davenport - Opinions from a Broadway Producer

10 Questions for a Broadway Pro. Volume 8: Rina Saltzman, Company Manager

Before I was a Producer, I spent about 10 years as a Company Manager for Broadway shows both in NYC and on the road.  And I loved every moment of it (except that time when a blizzard snowed my company in at the Best Western Westward Ho in Grand Forks, North Dakota).

Today you're going to read the answers to our 10 Questions from one of the industry's favorite CMs, Rina Saltzman.  I've worked closely with Rina on several occasions, and let me tell you something, the woman knows how to take care of a company. Count yourself lucky if you find yourself in her cast or crew.

Take it away, Rina!

1. What is your title?

Company Manager

2. What show/shows are you currently working on?

Billy Elliot National Tour, which is in a lovely long sit-down in Chicago.

3. In one sentence, describe your job.

I would describe my position as the day-to-day business manager, in-house marketing manager, HR department, Housing and Transportation Secretary, and Camp mom.

4. What skills are necessary for a person in your position?

Some of these are not skills but qualities:  patience, a sense of humor, appreciation for the artist, some business acumen, a knowledge of union rules, patience, the ability to juggle 5 or 6 things at once, to react calmly in a crisis and to be able to talk others off the ledge (this is especially helpful in production), an understanding - if not practical knowledge - of marketing, promotions and box office procedures.  Oh, and did I say patience?

5. What kind of training did you go through to get to your position?

I have a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Douglass College and a M.A. in Performing Arts Management from NYU, neither of which really helped me to get to this position.  I worked in a variety of jobs, ranging from Studio Supervisor on As The World Turns to Telemarketing Director for the Met Opera's Centennial before I became a Company Manager, all of which prepared me to work with a wide range of artists, stagehands, marketing gurus and managers.  The best training came when I got my first company management position at American Ballet Theatre - 150 dancers, staff, crew, management, travelling around the world - and I found a mentor in my General Manager - that is the most anyone could want in this career, someone who cares enough to teach you.

6. What was your first job in theater?

On the day I graduated college, a friend told me that there was a job open as Box Office Treasurer at the George Street Playhouse - as I was leaving town, I stopped in, interviewed, and by the time I reached my parents' house in Jersey City, I had the job and moved back to my college town.

7. Why do you think theater is important?

It changes lives.  Period.  Trite as that sounds, when I was managing the Bus and Truck of CATS, we played towns that had theatrical performances once or twice a year, if that.  I watched young children literally changed by the experience, in the same way I was when my parents took me to my first Broadway show when I was 5.

8. What is your profession's greatest challenge today?

Company Management has evolved so much over the past 24 years.  When I started, the Company Manager basically did payroll, signed the box office statement, did a settlement and arranged travel and housing on tour, now we do that and so, so much more -- we negotiate contracts, we work incessantly with our marketing teams and box offices to make sure we are optimizing sales, we deal with many more complex issues within our companies, and we watch the bottom line constantly.

9. If you could change just one thing about the industry with the wave of a magic wand, what would it be?

For my fellow Company, House Managers and Press Agents to be given their due within the industry.  (Full Disclosure - I am a member of the Board of Governors of ATPAM - the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers).

10. What advice would you give to someone who wanted to do what you do?

Work anywhere you can get a job - intern, answer phones at a General Management office, run for coffee in production - you will learn an amazing amount about the business just by being around the business.  Don't scoff at the small jobs - make yourself indispensable.  One of our NLA interns worked for me as an Assistant on Billy in Chicago and for his first job out of college, he is going to be the Asst. Company Manager of Mamma Mia on Broadway.

Going for the knockout punch in marketing.

There's nothing more exciting than a knockout.

I grew up watching Mike Tyson come into his own, and every time he fought, the entire crowd was on knockout-alert . . . just waiting for that one punch that would have the other guy chewing canvas. Sometimes Mikey didn't disappoint . . . but more often than not, the ear-biting heavyweight put the guy out after a combination of several punches that wore the other guy down, setting him up for the one punch that sent him in to la-la land.

The best boxers out there aren't going for just knockouts.  They hammer away at the body, then they give a couple of shots to the head, then back to the body . . . then they let the other fighter toss a few punches of his own so that he'll tire himself out.  

And eventually, the smarter boxer is left standing.

The best marketers don't go for just knockouts.  They aren't waiting for that one great review, or the one full-page ad, or the one appearance on a talk show that they think will send sales skyrocketing.  See, the problem with praying for a one-punch knockout, is that it also leaves you vulnerable.  If that punch doesn't land, you could be the one throwing in the towel.

The best marketers realize that selling a show is a long 10-round fight and every initiative, every ad, every review, is part of a bigger, overall strategy.  

So when you're out their fighting for sales, just try to land one punch.  Then another.  Then another.  

Because slow and steady is what sells your show.  

Dinner and a show go together like dinner and a show.

A week or two ago, I FourSquared that I was at the famed NY Dessertery, Serendipity.  (Has anyone come up with the verb for updating your FourSquare yet?  Squared?  Four-ed?) When I left the shop, with a few thousand caramel calories in my tummy, there were still several families waiting outside for a table . . . and they were all clutching Playbills. 

The next day, I walked into my favorite Sushi restaurant around 6 PM (I figured the fresh fish would balance out the sundae from the night before . . . that's how it works, right?).  The restaurant was packed.  

Of course it was.  It was pre-theater.  

I don't have the exact stats, but I'd bet that more than 50% of theater attendees go out to dinner before seeing a show.  The two events go hand in hand.  They are linked like Santa Claus and Christmas, weddings and honeymoons . . . the US and oil.  

So if theaters and restaurants are so codependent, and since we are both perishable inventory industries. . . why don't we do more together?  Sure, a few shows here and there do check-stuffer promotions, or 10% off a meal with a ticket stub.  But there has got to be more that we can do. 

When our matinees are hurting, should we have a promotional month called the "4 Course Lunch" promotion, where the 4th course is a show?  Should every show have a restaurant buddy that it can cross promote with, and even share a few media buys, or e-mail blasts?  Could you set up a commission program with the wait staff of a nearby dining establishment to encourage them to send people to your show?

Great food, like great theater, leaves the diner totally fulfilled.

Perhaps our two industries could join together to help fill more of each other's empty stomachs and empty seats.  

What the financial reform bill means to Broadway investors and you.

Most of us don't pay a lot of attention to what happens in D.C.  Sometimes it feels like Broadway is a magical place, and what happens with governmental financial reform doesn't affect us. 

Well, tucked deep in the recently-signed-into-law, 2300-page Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, was a change to the definition of 'Accredited Investor' that will have an impact on how Broadway and Off-Broadway producers raise money.

First, some background.

In 1933, in the wake of the Great Depression, congress passed the 'Securities Act of 1933' and for the first time offered federal regulation of the sale of securities.  As you can imagine, filing with the federal government can be an onerous and expensive task for many small businesses, start-ups, and Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.  So, to support the entrepreneurial American Spirit, Congress provided for a number of exemptions from federal filing in that 1933 Act. One of the most commonly used by all types of business, including shows, is the Accredited Investor exemption, which allows companies to raise money without filing, by taking money from Accredited Investors only.

What's an Accredited Investor?

An Accredited Investor is a government-defined term that basically means, "You've got enough money to make your own decisions, so we don't have to look out for you like we look out for the little guys."  Qualitatively, it means that either you have a net worth of $1,000,000 or you have made $200,000/year for the past two years (or $300,000 when combined with a spouse).  (To see a complete list of the qualifiers, visit the SEC's site here.)

I'd bet that at least 90% of all Broadway offerings to investors are made to Accredited Investors only.

Well, in the debate over the bill, there was some strong lobbying to change the Net Worth threshold to $2,000,000!  Fortunately, for all of us, that change didn't make it out of committee.

Instead, the new Consumer Protection Act redefines what counts towards that million-dollar net worth, and has specifically stated that an investor's home cannot be used in the calculation (which, as I'm sure you can imagine, was a common way for investors to qualify for this status).  The bill has also put more responsibility on the entity to ensure each investor is making a truthful claim about their status when signing those subscription documents.

Will this small change have a big effect on how we raise money for shows?  Too soon to tell, since the bill just went into law.  I'll give you an update when I'm in the trenches raising money for my next show.

What do I think of this change?  I can't argue with it, honestly.  I've always thought the definition was a bit loose, and while I don't think any Broadway investors are blind to the risks involved with what we do, we have to remember that this law applies to all of the other businesses out there in the world who may not be as forthright in their risk disclosure as we are (the hedge fund industry comes to mind).  

While I can't complain about it, I do wish there was an easier way for the smaller investor to get into the game.  As we've seen by the major moves in the stock market over the last couple years, it's not like opening an e-trade account means less risk!

For more on the Reform Act, click here. 

Broadway Grosses w/e 07/25/10

Show Name	GrossGross	TotalAttn	%Cap	AvgPdAdm
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC	$468,750	6,044	81.15%	$77.56
AMERICAN IDIOT	$806,283	9,879	72.26%	$81.62
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL	$1,120,204	11,305	99.45%	$99.09
CHICAGO	$596,025	7,409	85.75%	$80.45
COME FLY AWAY	$574,485	6,311	48.97%	$91.03
FELA!	$521,326	6,928	84.08%	$75.25
HARRY CONNICK, JR.	$1,139,695	8,674	100.12%	$131.39
IN THE HEIGHTS	$609,769	8,895	82.73%	$68.55
JERSEY BOYS	$1,024,188	9,427	95.96%	$108.64
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES	$586,590	6,331	74.87%	$92.65
LEND ME A TENOR	$377,349	5,543	69.36%	$68.08
MAMMA MIA!	$967,944	11,105	92.67%	$87.16
MARY POPPINS	$1,186,992	13,881	96.56%	$85.51
MEMPHIS	$960,594	11,197	95.21%	$85.79
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET	$458,469	5,470	56.32%	$83.82
NEXT TO NORMAL	$276,145	4,670	75.62%	$59.13
PROMISES, PROMISES	$1,219,812	13,548	96.94%	$90.04
RACE	$239,745	3,787	44.74%	$63.31
ROCK OF AGES	$535,182	6,703	84.04%	$79.84
SOUTH PACIFIC	$637,096	8,040	96.54%	$79.24
THE ADDAMS FAMILY	$1,300,420	10,971	90.28%	$118.53
THE LION KING	$1,617,207	13,418	100.01%	$120.53
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	$1,012,071	12,620	97.68%	$80.20
WEST SIDE STORY	$761,221	10,732	79.05%	$70.93
WICKED	$1,707,154	14,472	100.00%	$117.96
TOTAL	$20,704,714	227,360	84.01%	$87.85

Me and some friends, poddin' about social media.

The folks at 2AMt (AKA 2am Theatre) recently asked me to participate in a podcast about the ever-evolving world of social media. And, since it's a hard subject to get me to shut up about . . . I did!

You can listen through iTunes here, and you'll hear what I used to do at the mall when I was 10.

If you're not familiar with the work that David L. and his army of 2AMers are doing over there, check it out. They are part of the revolution.

Look Ma! We made an iPhone app called "At The Booth!"

I feel like a proud papa sending out a birth announcement.  And while the gestation of this offspring didn't take nine months, at times it sure felt like it!  (Then again, I'm about as patient as a kid on Christmas Eve.)

On January 26th, I wrote a blog about the Top 10 Broadway and Theater iPhone apps, only to find out that there weren't even 10 to choose from.

So, my staff and I hit the whiteboard and came up with some ideas, and I also put a call out to all of you for your ideas, and said that if I found one that we liked, we'd make it . . . and share the profits.

Well, lo and behold, my staff . . . and several of you (you know who you are) . . . expressed interest in an iPhone app that tells you what's available at the TKTS® booth, and at what price, etc.  

So, we made it!

Introducing . . . The At The Booth™app, your guide to what's half-price on Broadway today!  Download it now! 

At The Booth™includes:

• A list of all the shows available at the TKTS® booth and at what price (both in dollars and percent off - 50%, 40%, etc) updated throughout the day!
• A "line indicator" that tells you how long the line is!
• A full directory of all the shows on Broadway and Off-Broadway, whether they are at The Booth or not, including cast lists, photos, videos, and more!
• A full directory of all of the theaters in NYC, including maps!
• Links to reviews of all the shows!
• Links to full price tickets and discount tickets, just in case your show isn't at the booth!
• And more!

The app has been on soft-launch for a couple of weeks, and we've gotten great feedback already.  We gave a few away to some folks in Times Square and here's what they had to say . . .

"This is exactly what I was looking for.  It helped me plan my day better and I knew I was going to save money." - Karen, Texas

"If I can find out in advance that a show is available, I'll come to TKTS® more often, because I know my trip down won't be wasted." - Tom, NYC

So, if you've ever wanted to know what was up at the booth before you got in line (or even while you're in line), download the app today.  It's a must-have for any savvy Broadway and Off-Broadway theatergoer.

Get it here.

Special thanks to my staff, especially Melissa and Blair, who supervised the development, and special thanks to all of you who submitted your fantastic ideas for all different types of apps.  You helped inspire us to make something where there was nothing before.  Now, if you've got another idea for an app (or a dog food, a book, and hey, even a musical), go make it.  It ain't brain surgery.   

(And while you're downloading apps, don't forget you can get my blog in app form as well.  Get The Producer's Perspective blog app here.  I'm funnier on an iPhone. Really.  It's true.  If you were reading this on your phone, you would have laughed . . . a lot.)

What will tomorrow's audience want from their theater?

Yesterday, we chatted about how difficult it is to get the multitasking generation to the theater because they can lay on their couch and channel surf, web surf and Wii surf, all at the same time.

That got me thinking . . .

There have been a number of theories tossed around lately about how the current crop of musicals on Broadway have a certain sound or are from popular musical catalogs, because the current theater-going demographic (folks 40+) is the first group of theater-lovers who grew up on rock and roll. 

Simply put, the traditional sound of musicals has changed, because the traditional audience has changed.

Well, in the 1980s, another entertainment game-changer hit the stores:  the personal computer and the video game.  

According to my calculations, that puts us about 10 years away from the next group of 40 year olds who grew up on something that their parents didn't; a something that had a major impact on their lives, and their entertainment.   

So . . . if Rock and Roll had such an effect on our product . . .  can you imagine the effect that the computer will have on our product?  Or the video game?  

Or, I guess what I'm saying is . . . our audience is about to turn upside down pretty dang soon.  The computer is the car of the last 30 years.  And that's going to have a ripple effect and change what people want from their theater.

If you're a writer, get ready to adapt and expand, because our audience is going to want so much more if we expect them to turn off and sit still for two hours. 

- - - - -

Update:  I wrote the above blog two days before this article about the "Theater of the Arcade" appeared in the NY Times.  Read it here.  Interesting stuff on its way.

Sing. Sing a "long." Make it simple . . .

No, this isn't a post about a Carpenters jukebox musical (although I did inquire about the rights to that catalog about 10 years ago).

This is a post about another property I went after, but was denied . . . because the film company had their own plans.

This Thursday, the 'Grease Movie Sing-A-Long' opens at the Loews Village 7 in New York City and all over the country. (Full disclosure, when I was inspired to try and do a Grease sing-a-long, I went after the rights to Grease 2.  Why 2?  Well, I never thought I'd get the rights to the original, and, I mean, come on . . .. can you imagine a sing-a-long to "We're Gonna Boooooooowl tonight!")?

If you're not sure what a sing-a-long is, well, it's exactly what it sounds like.  The movie plays, along with karaoke-like lyrics ("Summer lovin', had me a blast!"), and the audience is encouraged to sing along with the film score.  In addition, audiences are encouraged to dress up, slick their hair and more.  Hopefully, a Rocky Horror element emerges as well, and props and choreography are incorporated (Hand jive, anyone?).  Sing-a-long movies started with The Sound of Music way back in 2000 (and I believe the craze started in Europe).

It has taken a decade, but Grease, and its 4 chords, 3 jokes, and billions of fans, looks to be the biggest one yet ("Summer Nights" is one of the most requested karaoke songs of all time).  

The New York Times wrote a piece about the sing-a-long, which included some very insightful comments from Adam Goodman, president of the Paramount Film Group, which apply to what we do as well.  Adam said, "The goal is to create a true event.  How do you get groups of young people going to the movies and having a great time?"

The author of the article continues with Adam's query.  

The key term is "young."  Older movie goers may still prefer to sit in silence, but younger audiences, the ones studios work hardest to motivate off the sofa - are increasingly programmed to interact and multitask.  Sitting quietly in a theater starts to feel like a bore when you can watch the DVD at home while texting a friend, playing a video game and posting witty comments on Facebook.

Creating unique events are essential for anyone producing entertainment in today's market, especially if you are trying to get young people off the couch, and off their phones, and their Facebooks, and whatever else they are on these days.

But what do today's multitasking generation's habits mean for tomorrow's market?

Whoa . . . that's heavy.  I need a night to think about it.  Tune in tomorrow.

In the meantime, here's a little cerebral palette cleanser.  And while you're watching it, sing along . . . and maybe Paramount will hear us.
 

This blog written by the President of the United States.

Last night, some of Broadway's Best were invited to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to perform as part of the White House Music Series.  Nathan Lane, Elaine Stritch and Jerry Mitchell were just a few of the names that helped entertain the President, his family, and all the other West Wingers invited to the show.

Before the entertainment began, Mr. Potus shared a few words of his own about what Broadway means to him, and to the country.

And well, I think I'll just let him take it from here.  

Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States.  (You don't have to stand)
 

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Everybody, please have a seat.  Let’s put on a show.  (Laughter.)  Welcome to the White House.  I am just thrilled, and I know Michelle is thrilled, to host the sixth in a series of evenings celebrating the music that helped to shape America. 

Now, so far we have heard from some of the biggest names in jazz, in country, in Latin, classical, and the music of the civil rights movement.  And tonight we are honored to be joined by some of the biggest and brightest stars on Broadway.

And I notice -- I should just point out that I see a lot of members of the New York delegation here.  (Laughter.)  They take great pride in Broadway.  I want to start by thanking George C. Wolfe and Margo Lion for making this event possible.  So please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank all of tonight’s performers for sharing their gifts with us.  They are just so generous with their time, and this will be a wonderful evening.

I also want to recognize my outstanding Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, who is in the house.  Here she is right here.  (Applause.)  As well as the other members of the administration  -- thank you guys for the hard work you do each and every day.  

Thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts, and the President’s Council on the Arts and the Humanities for their continued support.

And I finally want to recognize Jerry Mitchell and everybody who participated in the dance workshop earlier this afternoon and helped inspire the next generation of performers -- as well as my wife -- to do a few dances.  (Laughter.)  She was showing off backstage.

Now, as we’re about to see this evening, there’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music.  At its heart, it’s the power of a story -– of love and of heartbreak; of joy and sorrow; singing witches, dancing ogres.  Musicals carry us to a different time and place, but in the end, they also teach us a little bit of something about ourselves.  It’s one of the few genres of music that can inspire the same passion in an eight-year-old that it can an 80-year-old –- and make them both want to get up and dance.  It transcends musical tastes, from opera and classical to rock and hip-hop.  And whether we want to admit it or not, we all have the lyrics to a few Broadway songs stuck in our heads.  (Laughter.)   

In many ways, the story of Broadway is also intertwined with the story of America.  Some of the greatest singers and songwriters Broadway has ever known came to this country on a boat with nothing more than an idea in their head and a song in their heart.  And they succeeded the same way that so many immigrants have succeeded -– through talent and hard work and sheer determination.

Over the years, musicals have also been at the forefront of our social consciousness, challenging stereotypes, shaping our opinions about race and religion, death and disease, power and politics. 

But perhaps the most American part of this truly American art form is its optimism.  Broadway music calls us to see the best in ourselves and in the world around us -– to believe that no matter how hopeless things may seem, the nice guy can still get the girl, the hero can still triumph over evil, and a brighter day can be waiting just around the bend.

As the great Mel Brooks once said, musicals “blow the dust off your soul.”  So to everyone watching, both here and at home, here’s a taste of Broadway to help us do just that.

Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)