People to Know - Joseph Papp

Here is a producer after my own heart. Joseph Papp was born in 1921 in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants. He went on to be one of the most well known and respected producers in history. Papp had a true passion for Shakespeare and tried promoting his idea that there should be free Shakespeare in New York for years when he finally produced and directed Taming of the Shew on the Lower East Side in 1956. He was praised by Brooks Atkinson with a great review in the New York Times, and then his idea took off. And so the New York Shakespeare Festival began. He later moved the festival to Central Park at the Delacorte Theatre, where they still perform today.

After his success with the Shakespeare Festival he wanted to find a home where he could produce year round. In 1967 he created the Public Theatre to produce new and lesser know plays. His first big Broadway transfer was Hair, and because he did stay on as producer of Hair he received no financial benefits. This lesson learned, he went on to produce A Chorus Line and used the money to help fund his other theatres and even help start and run some Off-Broadway Theatres. He also helped produce The Pirates of Penzance, which I discovered has been produced on Broadway 26 times.

He also lead the way in non-traditional casting by using people of all colors in his plays and got involved in gay rights when Congress imposed conservative provisions on the National Endowment for the Arts and produced The Normal Heart, which discussed homophobia and the neglect of the AIDS crisis.

As a producer he brought so much talent, both directorial and in casting, that the lists could go on and on. I wish more producers would take interest in non-profits they way he did. He was able to accomplish so much with the funds from his few Broadway hits, it makes me wonder who will be the next producer to not only produce hits on Broadway, but get really involved in producing lots of theatre and lots of affordable theatre. Someone said Merrick was probably my hero, but I think so far I would have to say Joseph Papp is my hero.

HAIR

We are now four days away from the National Equality March. Broadway is taking a huge interest in this march, and it is exciting for our industry to get so involved. Broadway raises millions of dollars every year for everything from AIDS to Animal Rights. Now they are getting involved in the fight for equal rights. The producers of the Tony Winner musical HAIR are taking the biggest involvement in letting their cast have the day off so they can go to Washington. It is estimated that it will cost them between $100,000 and $150,000 to close on Sunday, October 11th.

As you have seen in my videos of Sutton Foster, they are not the only ones getting involved. Producer David Stone, Audra McDonald, Jonathan Groff and Neil Patrick Harris, as well as some Broadway casts, have raised money to send over 20 buses from New York City to Washington D.C.

The producers of HAIR are not only taking a risk, but they are also making head lines in all the major industry papers, including a great article last week in the New York Times.

I think it was a very smart move for the show about taking a stand for what’s right to show their own commitment to that idea by canceling their show, even though it means a loss for them. I think in the end it will more than make up for it in the press. I know I personally will see it the next time I am in NYC.