Musicals | The Producer's Perspective

Tonight on the Livestream: TAKE 2!!! 4-Time Tony Award-Winning Producer, Dori Berinstein

Alright, let’s try this again!

Tony Award winner, Dori Berinstein, was all set to appear on our livestream last week . . . until that little brat of a tropical storm played with the power, and she lost her internet! (I could go days without water, but not internet? Forget it.)

The storm has passed, the power is back, and Dori WILL be joining us, if I have to walk to her house in Westchester and socially distance interview her with my phone.

If you don’t know Dori, she’s a producing powerhouse . . . first in movies (yes, that is HER on the Netflix documentary about the making of Dirty Dancing – a must watch) . . . and then on Broadway. We met on Thoroughly Modern Millie, produced a show at NYMF together, and we will be doing something again soon, I know it.

Tune in tonight to hear how she transitioned from film to Broadway, how she is keeping all her projects going, and all about the Broadway Podcast Network (of which I’m a proud member).

Set your reminder for tonight’s episode here.

And look who’s joining me over the next few weeks:

Tuesday, August 18th – Brian Stokes Mitchell (Actor – Kiss Me, Kate; Man of La Mancha; Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed)

Tuesday, August 25th – Patrick Page (Actor – Hadestown, Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, The Hunchback of Notredame)

You can catch me every TUESDAY at 8pm EDT (7pm CDT/ 6pm MDT/ 5pm PDT) on my Facebook, on my Twitter, on Broadway Podcast Network’s Youtube Channel, and on Broadway on Demand.

To learn more about our guests and the organizations for which we are raising money, visit www.TheProducersPerspective.com/LIVE.

August 11, 2020 Broadway, Broadway Stars, Plays, Producing, Musicals, On The Blog, On The Livestream No comments yet

The Challenge of Creating Theater during Covid-19. Quite Literally.

As the pandemic continues to put a damper on everyone’s theatrical plans, it can be a struggle to, well, plan. And I get it. Believe me. On March 10th, I said to my staff, “We’re going to have four musicals debut in the next 18 months!”

We planned. A virus laughed.

But we WILL get the last effin’ laugh when our curtains go back up. I mean, what a celebration it will be!

That’s what I say to myself every morning when I fire up my computer and challenge myself with . . . well . . . coming up with things to do to make theater . . . when we can’t make theater.

Over the past few weeks, I came up with a whole bunch of daily tasks, activities, and serious ACTION ITEMS to prepare for ‘Curtain Up’ day.

And you know what? They are working. They are moving my projects forward when it’s hard to move anything forward.

That’s why I want to share them with you. And I want you to have some fun at the same time. 🙂

So last week, we created The 19 Day “Creating Theater During Covid-19” Challenge.

What the shutdown is that?

19 daily video lessons from me describing a task (that I do) to keep your project moving forward.
A forum to post your assignments/homework.
Feedback from fellow committed TheaterMakers like yourself.
A “Get Produced” Blueprint WHEN you successfully complete the challenge.
And a few surprises along the way.

Does it cost something?

Yes. $19. (Get it?)

And we’re donating the profits to my Dad’s encouragement fund.

I guess we could have made it free instead. But I find that you’re much more likely to “show up” for something when you have to pay for it. True, right? (Why do you think personal trainers exist!).

And I want you to complete this mother-chuckin’ challenge because I want your shows out there in the world when this is over. (And with all this vaccine talk – I figure we’re starting to see a glimmer of light down the road – so now is the time to get ourselves ready!) And this way we give a little boost to the upcoming TheaterMakers at the same time.

Who’s in to make some theater?

The challenge starts on August 10th. Absolutely no latecomers.

Sign up for it here.

And prepare for some coronavirus-kickin’ action.

Take the 19 Day Creating Theater During Covid-19 Challenge.

August 3, 2020 Plays, Producing, Advice from Experts, Musicals, On The Blog No comments yet

Tonight on the Livestream: 6-Time Tony Nominee, Danny Burstein

Danny Burstein has one of the most unique resumes on Broadway. And it’s because of something he told me on the podcast we did a bit ago.

He doesn’t like to repeat himself. He likes to challenge himself.

With six Tony Award nominations and a resume the length of the tails he wears in Moulin Rouge, the strategy seems to be working.

That’s why I’m looking forward to hearing how he’s dealing with the challenges he is facing now . . . including recovering from a very nasty battle with COVID-19 (his show, Moulin Rouge, was one of the toughest hit by the virus early on)

Danny will be on my livestream TONIGHT at 8pm EDT, so tune in to hear what his battle with COVID was like and his outlook on the future.

One thing I can guarantee about our chat . . . Danny will give it to us straight . . . yet still with a smile.

See you tonight!

Set your reminder for tonight’s episode here.

And look who’s joining me over the next few weeks:

Tuesday, August 4th – Norm Lewis (Actor – Phantom of The Opera, Porgy and Bess, Les Miserables)

Tuesday, August 11th – John Cariani (Actor/Playwright – Something Rotten; Caroline or Change; Almost, Maine)

Tuesday, August 25th – Patrick Page (Actor – Hadestown, Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, The Hunchback of Notredame)

You can catch me every TUESDAY at 8pm EDT (7pm CDT/ 6pm MDT/ 5pm PDT) on my Facebook, on my Twitter, on Broadway Podcast Network’s Youtube Channel, and on Broadway on Demand.

To learn more about our guests and the organizations for which we are raising money, visit www.TheProducersPerspective.com/LIVE.

July 28, 2020 Plays, Broadway, Broadway Stars, Musicals, Producing, On The Blog, On The Livestream No comments yet

How our conference has changed . . . and tickets are (finally) on sale.

At the end of our conference last year, I told my team . . . “Next year, we’re going to do something totally different!”

Little did I know! 🙂

The theater is a constantly evolving art-form, so it only makes sense that our conference is evolving as well!

What has changed?

First, we’ve got a new name . . . The TheaterMakers Summit! Since our past attendees have included such a mix of Playwrights, Composers, Producers, Investors, Directors, Actors and everyone who makes theater, we wanted to honor them all.

Second, surprise, surprise . . . we’re going virtual!

Our virtual summit will be held on November 14th, 15th . . . and an extra intensive day on the 16th for a select few (More on that in a minute).

Now, look, I’ll admit it. I was a bit bummed when I realized we weren’t going to be able to have our conference in person this year. I even threw a tantrum my two-year-old would be proud of. Here’s how it went down:

We were in the middle of a Zoom last May when I said, “If we can’t have our conference in person, then forget it! I don’t want to do it!”

And I e-stomped off (which means I “booped” out of the meeting).

I e-stumbled back into the Zoom room a few minutes later (my staff was still there . . . they knew I’d be back) and said, “Ok, ok, if we’re going to do it virtually, then we’re really going to DO THIS virtually!”

Once I accepted the cards we were dealt, we spun the negative into a super-duper positive.

And now I am so excited that we’re going to be entirely online. Because we’re going to be able to unite more TheaterMakers from all over the world, with speakers from all over the world . . . without anyone having to travel. The conversations on how to make theater in the new world will be more robust than ever!

And we need those conversations. Because let’s face it. We’ve got some hurdles to overcome.

And the best way to figure out how to solve our problems is to get more and more ideas tossed out on the table by more people.

That’s why I’m going to have leaders from Broadway, Regional Theaters, Foreign Market theaters, Community Theater, High School Theaters and more. We’re going to have experts on all of the subjects facing TheaterMakers today from diversity to streaming to safety in the time of Covid . . . not to mention how to raise money in this craziness, how and where to pivot, what “The Road” is going to look like, and lots more.

And in addition to two days of great content, we’ve added an entire bonus day . . . which will feature more “group thinks” and interactive workshops, for those who want to dig into the issues even deeper.

With the attendance we’ve had in the past, and as accessible as can be since it’s virtual, it could be the biggest public conference of TheaterMakers ever.

Tickets have NOT been on sale . . . until today. (It has taken us some time to figure all this out!)

You can get them here (and you’ll also see the incredible line up of speakers we already have . . . and that’s just a few of them!)

And for those who get a ticket by this Monday at 11:59 PM Eastern, you’re going to get that interactive bonus day for free.

Oh, and expect some other surprises as well.

So yeah, the conference is gonna be different. But I think that’s perfect. Because different is exactly how we need to think right now if we’re going to succeed in getting the theater back to where it was before . . . and beyond.

Learn more and get your tickets for the annual TheaterMakers Summit here.

Looking forward to e-seeing you there.

Get your ticket here.

July 23, 2020 Broadway, Business, Future, Buy Tickets, Plays, Musicals, Producing, Web/Tech, webinar No comments yet

[SPECIAL] Tonight on the Livestream: From a Quarantine in Korea, Director to Watch, Sammi Cannold!

Everyone in the Broadway biz knows that Sammi Cannold is a director to watch.

That’s why she made the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for up-and-comers in Hollywood and Entertainment.

And Tonight at 8 PM EDT, she will LITERALLY be one to watch when she appears on my livestream!

And get this, it’ll be 9 AM where she is . . . because she’s in Korea . . . under quarantine! Yep, she’s working on a film project there about the South Korean response to getting theater back up and running, so she’ll have lots to talk about on what they are doing right . . . and how Broadway can learn from the Korean response.

I’m also eager to get her take on how she’s going to create in the post-pandemic world, since she is one of the most creative directors talked about today. She helmed the Evita at City Center and right before COVID shut down the world, her production of Endlings at New York Theater Workshop had a 4,100 gallon pool on stage. (I just want to say, “I noticed her” – check out this blog I wrote back in 2013 talking about her production of Violet – before I knew who she was, but knew she’d do amazing things).

And, she’ll be directing my new musical, Joy, for me . . . because, well, I couldn’t think of a better person to direct a show about a young, passionate, female entrepreneur like Joy Mangano than a young, passionate, female artrepreneur like Sammi Cannold.

She’s also going to appear on a “creating for the new world” panel at my conference in November, but we’re going to get a preview tonight!

So tune in at 8 PM Eastern, 9 AM Korean time to hear all about Sammi’s take on theater safety, how the pandemic is sparking her creativity, and whether or not she truly likes Kimchee.

Click here to get a reminder or to go there RIGHT NOW!

And look who is joining us over the next few weeks:

Tuesday, July 21st – Steven Pasquale (Actor – American Son, Bridges of Madison County)

Tuesday, July 28th – Danny Burstein (Actor – Moulin Rouge, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof)

Tuesday, August 4th – Norm Lewis (Actor – Phantom of The Opera, Porgy and Bess, Les Miserables)

Tuesday, August 11th – John Cariani (Actor/Playwright – Something Rotten; Caroline or Change; Almost, Maine)

You can catch me every TUESDAY at 8pm EDT (7pm CDT/ 6pm MDT/ 5pm PDT) on my Facebook, on my Twitter, on Broadway Podcast Network’s Youtube Channel, and on Broadway on Demand.

To learn more about our guests and the organizations for which we are raising money, visit www.TheProducersPerspective.com/LIVE.