I wanna be a producer...

[ActionBoy]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 3:18am

No, really, I do. I'm not talking about the song from The Producers.

How exactly does one go about being a producer of a Broadway show, or any major New York production? I know it doesn't have to be completely about money... everyone has to start somewhere. For instance, did Hal Prince aspire to be one of the most respected Broadway producers or did it just fall into his lap? I've produced a small-scale high school production with sole responsibility, so I know what goes into the title of "producer"... but how does one go into it as a profession?

P.
(producing is my 'back-up plan')

"theatre is life, film is art, television is furniture"

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 4:23am

is Hal Prince a producer these days?

[ActionBoy]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 10:25pm

I'm glad to see anything anyone cares about these days is Idina-bashing and such...

[Plum]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:41pm

I know I'm going to catch some flak for this, but if you don't get an answer here, try ATC. I'm sorry; I don't know anything about producing. You might want to try reading a biography of Prince or other producers to see how they started out.

[Corine2]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:48pm

You can take a course in it at the AMERICAN THEATER WING.
There is also an intensive course over the weekend. I will get the name for you.(CTI)
To be a Producer you need to be a great fundraiser and repeat
Never put your own money in the show.
I dated an Off Broadway Producer for a few years and it was the best Producing training program available.
Be careful you can lose your shirt.
(I worked my day job and at night I helped him with everything from handing out flyers at tkts to getting investors. It is very exciting and major stress.Don't get me wrong but you need a very thick skin and I have one) Updated On: 6/9/04 at 11:48 PM

[chasing_rainbows43]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:52pm

Being a producer is your *back-up plan*? Might I ask what Plan A is? Just curious....

The best thing you can do is get internship after internship after internship. Hopefully you'll be lucky enough to have something come along that will put you with the right people. Don't be afraid to seek out jobs from those who aren't advertising. It could land you with an amazing gig. Worked for me...
~Sarah, an aspiring producer

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 11:54pm

I think Hal Prince's producing credits came after copious successful directing credits so maybe it really is about the money.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 12:07am

Interning with a producer sounds like a great idea. If you have to, start a letter campaign with a few of your fav producers* like Shurtleff describes in AUDITION. (After a long letter campaign, David Merrick finally gave him a chance).

Jeffery Seller and Kevin McCollum would be two ideal guys right now--they just won for Ave Q. You might also intern with a theatre--many get involved with producing Broadway shows and, of course, producing their own shows.

*Look up your favorite shows on ibdb.com and check out the list of producers on those shows to make a good list.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 12:34am

To be a producer, you need the ability to tap into cash and (perhaps more important) have taste.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 12:43am

But (obviously) not necessarily GOOD taste. You can get far with taste along the lines of Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public, kid.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 1:08am

Actually, Prince started out as a go-fer and assistant for the legendary director George Abbott. Abbott taught him the business end of the theatre and after serving as stage manager for a couple of Abbott shows (the original productions of "Call Me Madam" and "Wonderful Town"), Abbott put him in charge of producing his shows (Prince had no money of his own, but had something FAR better -- Abbott and the list of folks dying to put their money into a George Abbott-directed show). He produced "Damn Yankees," "Pajama Game" and "New Girl In Town" which were all directed by Abbott as well as being huge Tony Award winning hits. This allowed him to branch out on his own and the next year he produced "West Side Story" (and we all know what happened with that). He went on and produced a few more Abbott hits -- "Tenderloin," "Take Her, She's Mine" and "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum" -- as well as the Robbins classic "Fiddler On the Roof," until he decided to take on directing chores himself in the early 60's. His first hit as director and producer was "She Loves Me" and he wore both hats for most of the rest of his career in the 60's, 70's and beyond (including "Cabaret" and all of Sondheim's work from 1970's "Company" to 1981's "Merrily We Roll Along"........ as well as last year's "Bounce").

Interning for a producer is an excellent way to learn the business. There are also some very good "Producing In the Theatre" seminars that happen each year that you should look into. If I were you, I would write letters to all of the major off-Broadway & Broadway producers -- Daryl Roth, Chase Mishkin, Arlene Tepper, Roger Berlind, Margo Lion, Roy Gabay, et al (there are dozens) and express your interest, and ask them for their advice (and maybe an internship). At the very least, you should get a nice form letter back with some good ideas, but some of them I'm sure will have some concrete, personal advice for you. The list of all the major producers and their contact info is in the Theatrical Index (I think that's what it's called) which you can get from the Drama Bookshop -- call them up and explain what you're looking for and trust me, they'll know. Good luck.

[chasing_rainbows43]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 8:48am

Yeah - it's the TI. Runs about $15.
Another great thing you can do there is take a look at everyone on the production team for current and upcoming musicals. Don't just go for the producers, get letters out to the stage managers, see if you can get a PA job. Casting directors, everything helps. The more of various foundations you have, the better. If you don't directly apply whatever you've previously worked with, any sort of background knowledge at all is a leg up, the more, the better.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 9:54am

If you have a lot of money connections in your family, or with very wealthy friends, then go for it. That's how David Stone, Jeffrey Seller, et al, did it. Yes, they started out working under major Broadway producers (I started out with them but didn't have the connections to actually fund shows)in order to learn the fundamentals, but also had the wealth to draw from. Otherwise, it's more than an uphill climb.

Updated On: 6/9/04 at 09:54 AM

[BROADWAYFAN3]

Posted: 6/9/04 at 10:18am

If anyone is interested I am working with 2 shows. A broadway musical and an off-broadway musical review, both opening this year.

Recuriting small investors for both shows.

email me if interested in more info. [e-mail]