Broadway General Manager: Demystifying the Most Important and Least Understood Role in Show Business

Description

"An absolutely indispensable theater lover's guide to how Broadway works." -Peter Marks, chief theater critic, Washington Post "Highly recommended for those considering theater as a career and for those who love theater and want to know more about what goes on before the curtain goes up and after." -Library Journal Broadway General Manager is a fascinating, insightful, and entertaining glimpse into the normally closed world of theatrical general management. Penned by veteran Broadway insider Peter Bogyo, readers will gain an appreciation and understanding of what the business half of show business is all about. For the first time ever, gain backstage access to the fast-paced and glamorous world of Broadway. Broadway General Manager is an invaluable resource that examines actual production and operating budgets for a Broadway show and shares contracts for award-winning actors, directors, and designers, all of which are analyzed extensively. Also included are in-depth discussions on such topics as: How to get started as a general manager Negotiating contracts How the producing entity functions Programming the box office The issues related to hiring employees Binding insurance Financial overview Maintaining the run of a show What to do when sales start to slump Closing a show And much more Laced with humorous insights and personal anecdotes, Broadway General Manager will delight both the average theater lover as well as individuals with a serious interest in commercial arts management.

PETER BOGYO is a veteran general manager of Broadway and off-Broadway shows and has worked with many award-winning producers, directors, authors, stars, and designers such as Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Kevin Spacey, Richard Dreyfus, Sir Alan Bates, Dame Eileen Atkins, Carol Burnett, and Cicely Tyson, among others. He is also a producer of special events and has produced major benefit concerts, yielding close to one million dollars, in such New York venues as Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Town Hall, and Symphony Space. He is particularly proud that his concert version of "Anyone Can Whistle" with Angela Lansbury at Carnegie Hall was nominated for a Grammy (R) Award. He is a graduate of Yale College and the Commercial Theater Institute, a member of the Broadway League, and a Tony Award (R) voter. He lives in New York City and upstate New York.

"An absolutely indispensable theater lover's guide to how Broadway works." -Peter Marks, chief theater critic, Washington Post "Highly recommended for those considering theater as a career and for those who love theater and want to know more about what goes on before the curtain goes up and after." -Library Journal "Arts administration students or anyone interested in the fundamentals and inner workings of the usually closed world of theater production will find Bogyo's book essential reading." -Leida Snow, Straus News "A text book that will be sure to have a life in theatre schools nationwide. . . . Bogyo's book is certain to serve as a bible for the trade moving forward." -StageBuddy "Broadway General Manager is a must read for any new producer entering the world of Broadway. And it is a wonderful tool for the novice general manager to hone the craft of being a general manager-one of the least understood yet certainly one of the most important members of the producing team. Peter's book takes the reader through the extraordinary number of details required to be a general manager and will help the potential new producer select just the right GM for their show. Every producer has a different set of skills, and the best producing teams insure that the GM complements the producer's strengths. From budgets to contracts, there are excellent examples that will help the reader understand the myriad of things a producer needs from a GM." -Charlotte St. Martin, president, the Broadway League "Peter Bogyo's book is an invaluable guide to the work of a general manager and the way a GM fits into the process of making a commercial show. His love of his subject and of the theater shines through unmistakably in every chapter." -Tom Viertel, six-time Tony Award (R)-winning producer and executive director of the Commercial Theater Institute "Broadway General Manager is a valuable guide to the functions of a theatrical general manager, including clear and detailed explanations of production budgets, contracts, and other critical documents. Because general management touches on all aspects of commercial theater production, the book will be useful to anyone-artist or manager-interested in understanding the production process. Peter Bogyo's insightful commentary reflects his deep experience and demonstrates that ethicality, a sense of humor, and love for the art of theater are essential qualities for a successful general manager." -Joan Channick, chair, Theater Management, Yale School of Drama "An essential work for theatre management, producing, and arts administration students. From budgets to contracts and beyond, Broadway General Manager makes a case for the crucial role of the general manager, addressing complex business issues, along with the idiosyncrasies of the theatre industry, and breaking them down in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner. Although the focus is commercial Broadway production, most of the book would be extremely useful for future not-for-profit managers as well. It is a welcome addition to our curriculum." -Steven Chaikelson, director, MFA Theatre Management & Producing Program, Columbia University School of the Arts "I devoured this book . . . It should be in every industry class at colleges and universities around the country! Bogyo has managed to make the difficult-to-digest details of what GMs do entertaining and accessible, while not dumbing it down. I'm looking forward to using it as a base text in multiple classes." -Lisa Dozier King, Director, BFA Theatre Management Program, University of Miami "Peter Bogyo's Broadway General Manager is not just a book for general managers; it's for producers, writers, actors, and others interested in the how and the why of the Broadway theatre. Bogyo combines thorough knowledge of and experience in the field with good instincts. What's more, he writes in a clear and cogent style, making Broadway General Manager an invaluable explanation of the professional theatre world." -Steven Suskin, author of The Sound of Broadway Music and Second Act Trouble "An absolutely indispensable theater lover's guide to how Broadway works." -Peter Marks, chief theater critic, Washington Post "Highly recommended for those considering theater as a career and for those who love theater and want to know more about what goes on before the curtain goes up and after." -Library Journal "Arts administration students or anyone interested in the fundamentals and inner workings of the usually closed world of theater production will find Bogyo's book essential reading." -Leida Snow, Straus News "A text book that will be sure to have a life in theatre schools nationwide. . . . Bogyo's book is certain to serve as a bible for the trade moving forward." -StageBuddy "Broadway General Manager is a must read for any new producer entering the world of Broadway. And it is a wonderful tool for the novice general manager to hone the craft of being a general manager-one of the least understood yet certainly one of the most important members of the producing team. Peter's book takes the reader through the extraordinary number of details required to be a general manager and will help the potential new producer select just the right GM for their show. Every producer has a different set of skills, and the best producing teams insure that the GM complements the producer's strengths. From budgets to contracts, there are excellent examples that will help the reader understand the myriad of things a producer needs from a GM." -Charlotte St. Martin, president, the Broadway League "Peter Bogyo's book is an invaluable guide to the work of a general manager and the way a GM fits into the process of making a commercial show. His love of his subject and of the theater shines through unmistakably in every chapter." -Tom Viertel, six-time Tony Award (R)-winning producer and executive director of the Commercial Theater Institute "Broadway General Manager is a valuable guide to the functions of a theatrical general manager, including clear and detailed explanations of production budgets, contracts, and other critical documents. Because general management touches on all aspects of commercial theater production, the book will be useful to anyone-artist or manager-interested in understanding the production process. Peter Bogyo's insightful commentary reflects his deep experience and demonstrates that ethicality, a sense of humor, and love for the art of theater are essential qualities for a successful general manager." -Joan Channick, chair, Theater Management, Yale School of Drama "An essential work for theatre management, producing, and arts administration students. From budgets to contracts and beyond, Broadway General Manager makes a case for the crucial role of the general manager, addressing complex business issues, along with the idiosyncrasies of the theatre industry, and breaking them down in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner. Although the focus is commercial Broadway production, most of the book would be extremely useful for future not-for-profit managers as well. It is a welcome addition to our curriculum." -Steven Chaikelson, director, MFA Theatre Management & Producing Program, Columbia University School of the Arts "I devoured this book . . . It should be in every industry class at colleges and universities around the country! Bogyo has managed to make the difficult-to-digest details of what GMs do entertaining and accessible, while not dumbing it down. I'm looking forward to using it as a base text in multiple classes." -Lisa Dozier King, Director, BFA Theatre Management Program, University of Miami "Peter Bogyo's Broadway General Manager is not just a book for general managers; it's for producers, writers, actors, and others interested in the how and the why of the Broadway theatre. Bogyo combines thorough knowledge of and experience in the field with good instincts. What's more, he writes in a clear and cogent style, making Broadway General Manager an invaluable explanation of the professional theatre world." -Steven Suskin, author of The Sound of Broadway Music and Second Act Trouble