As close to a course in producing as you can get.
There’s no bar exam for Producers. No boards to pass in order to practice. No degrees required.
Producers can be marketers, fund-raisers, or dramaturgs.
Anyone with enough passion for product can produce.
That said, there are more and more programs emerging with the goal of educating a new generation of producers about the nuts and bolts of what we do.
Because while anyone can drive a car, you can drive a lot more efficiently and safely if you know how the engine operates.
The Harvard of commercial theater producing is The Commercial Theater Institute, not because of the quality of the education (although it is top-notch), but more so because CTI was the first institute dedicated to commercial theater producing, just like Harvard was the first institute of higher learning in the US.
Harvard was founded in 1636. Now we have over 4,000 colleges in this country.
Let’s hope we see commercial theater institutes multiply at the same rate.
CTI just announced that it’s accepting applications for its annual 14 week course. Apply here.
Podcasting
Ken created one of the first Broadway podcasts, recording over 250 episodes over 7 years. It features interviews with A-listers in the theater about how they “made it”, including 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners, 7 Academy Award Winners and 76 Tony Award winners. Notable guests include Pasek & Paul, Kenny Leon, Lynn Ahrens and more.
