What I want from Santa Claus this Broadway Christmas. by Ken Davenport

My Mom is the best. I’m in my 4th decade now, and still, every year right after Thanksgiving she shoots me an email and says, “What does my boy want from Santa this Christmas?…

Are you getting a lot of "donate now" emails? by Ken Davenport

I don’t know about you, but my inbox and mailbox are filled with requests for cash donations from all sorts of non-profits, charities, etc.  Why do they come in such a high volum…

The Broadway Theater crunch just got crunchier. by Ken Davenport

It wasn’t a secret that Second Stage was planning to buy the Helen Hayes Theatre.  But since it has been six years since it was originally announced, a lot of folks in the industry …

Would I have canceled The Interview? And would you? by Ken Davenport

There are some days when I dream about being a big time Hollywood Studio Movie Producer. Yesterday was not one of them. Like most of the world, I’ve been watching this The Interview cr…

How long should your preview period be? by Ken Davenport

One of the first things that Broadway Producers have to decide when a show gets green-lit is their schedule. I often work backwards.  When do I want the show to open?  Once I have that…

Who will be The Broadway Producer of the Year 2014? by Ken Davenport

It’s that time of year, my friends! Before 2014 comes to a close, it is time for us to find out who, who, who is The Broadway Producer of the Year! And how do we decide?  Well, we l…

I don't care who the best marketer is on Broadway. by Ken Davenport

You know what I really care about? Who the best marketer is in the world. Yes, we have a very unique product on Broadway.  But at the end of the day, great marketers are great marketers, …

5 Tips from the latest Get Your Show Off The Ground Seminar. by Ken Davenport

We had another super fun Saturday seminar this past weekend, with a room full of writers/producers/entrepreneurs from all over the city country world (we had a team from Venezuela!). �…

Another thing Broadway does better than Hollywood. by Ken Davenport

One of our sister industry’s biggest releases this December is the Old Testament inspired Exodus: Gods and Kings, starring the very white Christian “I didn’t scream at a…

10 Great Holiday Gifts for the Broadway Lover in your Life. by Ken Davenport

Ho-ho-holiday shopping! Theater people are sooooo picky.  How do I know?  I’m one of ‘em.  My mom asks me for a list every year of what I want (she’s a good mom). …

5 Reasons why I loved Peter Pan Live on NBC. by Ken Davenport

Imagine for a second that you start producing Broadway shows.  And your first Broadway show is Wicked.  The next Broadway show is bound to come up short, no matter how well it does,…

The most important review of Peter Pan. by Ken Davenport

Did you watch Peter Pan live? Iain did. And his is the most important review of them all.  It’s more important than Entertainment Weekly.  More important than The Daily Beast. Â…

Iain reviews Peter Pan Live on NBC by Ken Davenport

A member of the press comes out as a "Broadway Bolter." by Ken Davenport

When one person emails me with an idea for a blog, I consider it. When five people email me with the same idea, I strongly consider it. Yesterday, ten people emailed me, four sent smoke sign…

Things Musical Theater Nerds Do: A Video by Ken Davenport

A reminder that there's (green) gold in them there hills. by Ken Davenport

I’ve been saving this article for a rainy day. And since it has been rainy, sleety and just plain sh@tty here in the city, I thought we could all use a little pick me up. And this one …

The Demographics of the Broadway Audience 2013-2014 by Ken Davenport

Extra, extra, read all about it!  Broadway theatergoers are rich! Ok, that’s just one of the obvious takeaways from this year’s demographic study of Broadway theatergoers and …

Why Broadway Producers need longer option periods. by Ken Davenport

When a Broadway producer options a play or a musical from an Author, the Producer pays a set amount of money (the advance) for a set amount of time.  Usually that initial option period is…

Why Theater Tickets make horrible gifts and what we can do about it. by Ken Davenport

Happy Black Friday, y’all! On this day, all around the country world,, people start their holiday shopping in earnest.  Toys and clothes and hickory farm meat and cheese boxes will …

10 Things this Producer is thankful for on Broadway this Thanksgiving. by Ken Davenport

This business is a b@tch.  And it’s easy to complain about, which I sometimes do on this blog (I try to keep it positive, I try to keep it positive, I really try).  But the fact …

Look who is bloggin' now? by Ken Davenport

Last week I wrote a blog with my 5 Tips to Starting a Theater Blog.  And lo and behold, one appeared! Ok, truth time – this new blog didn’t have anything to do with my post…

End of Q2 Results for Broadway's 2014-15 Season by Ken Davenport

If you’re new to the blog, then welcome to my quarterly analysis of Broadway grosses and attendance (The big-boy businesses on the Dow look at their “earnings” on a quarter…

The secret of "closing" when you're raising money. by Ken Davenport

Raising money is very similar to selling . . . anything.  That’s why I recommend you become a master salesperson if you want to become a money raising superstar and fund all your sh…

Everyone wishes they could Be Like Mike. by Ken Davenport

I’m going to admit something super selfish right now. Yesterday, Mike Nichols, the genius writer/director/actor/superhero passed away. And I never got to work with him. (Told you it wa…

Here ye! Here ye! It's The 7th Annual Producer's Perspective Social " And You're Invited! by Ken Davenport

It’s that time, y’all! As you know, I love me some online communication.  Blogs, email, the ol’ tweeter.  It’s all good. But nothing, no-thing, compares to actu…

Ex-ch-ch-ch-changes! by Ken Davenport

Did that David Bowie reference come across in the headline for this blog? Try again. Ex-ch-ch-ch-changes! There we go.  You get what I’m laying down now, right? Speaking of laying d…

5 Tips to Starting a Theater Blog (or any blog for that matter). by Ken Davenport

So you wanna start a theater blog, huh? Gosh, I hope the answer to that is yes. See, my mission statement, on and off my blog, is simple.  I want to amplify the conversation about theater…

First Colony Records and now they take our Chicken Soup??? by Ken Davenport

It was two years ago (time doesn’t fly, it rockets by) that Colony Records announced it was closing its doors forever.  It was a sad day, of course, especially for those of us who s…

The secret to making more people fall in love with your show. by Ken Davenport

It’s dramatic writing 101 that the hero of your story (whether that’s a play, a musical, or a movie) has to want something.  Badly.  It gives him (or her) an action.  A …

What my father said that pi$$ed me off. by Ken Davenport

My dad really knows how to get my "billy" goat.  (That will make sense in a minute.) About five years ago I got my father tickets to see the Metropolitan Opera . . . in HD.  You know a…

What running a red light taught me about Producing. by Ken Davenport

I used to deliver pizza for Domino’s Pizza. That was my high school survival job (aka how I afforded to take my high school sweetheart to Riverside Park and Billy Joel concerts). It wa…