The 2008 and first annual Producer’s Perspective Producer of the Year Award is given to . . . Mr. Gerry Schoenfeld.

Why Gerry?

Because he controlled the most theaters on Broadway?

Because he controlled the largest ticketing service and biggest audience database on Broadway?

Because he deserves a lifetime achievement award in addition to our “Best Of” award?

Yes.

But what put Mr. S. over the top to get the props from The Producer’s Perspective was his 2008 production of . . . Passing Strange.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the show, but Gerry was. And he was certainly smart enough to know that getting Passing Strange to crossover to the mainstream was going to be one of the greatest producing challenges of the last 10 years.

But that didn’t stop him.

He found a show he was passionate about and put all the resources at his disposal behind it.

And that’s what producing is all about.

The only thing that did stop Gerry was his untimely passing.  He’s probably sitting in a big theater somewhere right now (and he probably already got the Big Guy to name that theater after him).  But wherever he is, I hope they have an RSS feed so he can read this:  thank you, Gerry.

Who will be The Producer of The Year in ’09?  Bob Boyett?  Jeffrey Richards? John Gore at Broadway Across America?

They are all great guys and great producers.  But you know who I’m rooting for?

You.