There are names in the theater business that inspire a mix of emotions such as ambitious envy, jealous desire, and appreciative awe. They are the names of those who have taken a walk down the Great White Way and who have emerged as legends of their craft. Whether by means altruistic or underhanded, the great visionary producers of American theater have earned their place in history and have much to teach about their journeys.
In Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater, scheduled for an August 2008 release, author Iris Dorbian profiles standouts Florenz Ziegfeld, David Belasco, David Merrick, Roger Berlind, Jack Viertel, Joseph Papp, Andre Bishop, Margo Lion, Daryl Roth, Fran Weissler, Cameron Mackintosh, Michael David, Thomas Schumacher, and Roy Gabay to get at the heart of what it takes to be a great producer and work behind the scenes of some of Broadway’s most influential shows. Uncovering the stories behind some of Broadway’s most accomplished commercial and nonprofit producers, Dorbian finds out how they got started, what their most challenging project was, how they learned from their errors, and the key to leveraging hard-won wisdom into bigger and better shows.
From the familiar stereotype of the producer as a control-hungry despot to the new model of producer-as collaborator, Great Producers profiles some of Broadway’s best. Filled with tell-alls from insiders, this guide for students, educators, and aspiring producers will allow them to learn from the masters’ advice on the qualities a good producers should possess and how to solicit donors, choose projects, and deal with critics. Inspiring and edifying, Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater is a must-read for anyone looking to know what it takes to be a success in one of the most competitive roles on Broadway.
Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater
Iris Dorbian
978-1-58115-646-1 ~ Paperback ~ $19.95
6 x 9 ~ 208 pages ~ 40 b&w photos
Bibliography ~ Appendix ~ Index
August 2008 ~ Allworth Press