So, I went to The Tony's...
I had the best seats in the nosebleeds at the Tony's. Being there was enlightening so I thought it would be worth sharing my insights.
Let's rewind a bit.
Some of you might know I ventured into Broadway co-producing this past year (yes, it was quite unexpected). So, how did I leap from seeing just a handful of shows in my life to being part of some of this past year's biggest productions?
One word: community.
The Founder's Podcast often emphasizes that relationships run the world. You’ve heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” It goes even deeper: it’s not just who you know, but who knows you. That’s the essence of community – dynamic, multi-faceted connections where people care about what you’re doing and who you are.
This season, I co-produced with Score 3 Partners, collaborating with some amazing people to bring fresh, new energy behind the scenes to the business side of Broadway.
So, what exactly is co-producing? In short, it's about bringing capital together to support a new venture. It's the financial side of things (but not the budgeting). This season, we worked on four incredible shows:
The results? Seventeen Tony nominations, thirteen of which came from Hell’s Kitchen alone, and we walked away with two awards: Best Lead Actress and Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Not too shabby for a rookie year, right?
Every year won't be like this, but I'm excited to see where it goes next.
So, what is it like being at the Tony's?
- You're part of the production more than just an audience member. The show is crafted for TV. Yes, there are live performances, but you also see the inner workings. You see the cameras, hear the directors giving orders, and watch the teleprompter. You clap on cue (and sometimes when the moment feels right). In a sense, you're performing too.
- Everything is as polished as you'd imagine. The show is managed by professionals to host, accommodate, and entertain the biggest names in entertainment, like Jay-Z, Hillary Clinton, Anna Wintour, and Alicia Keys. They've seen it all, so the bar is set high.
- Theater is a cornerstone of the American experience. Think about it: before streaming, albums, movies, or TV, there was theater. Plays have been around since at least 440 B.C., and the first professionally mounted play in America was in 1767. Literally, before the US was formed, there was theater. (Fun fact: the first musical as we know it was The Black Crook in 1866.)
The trip was a fantastic experience, and hopefully, in future years you'll see me on TV accepting an actual award. For now, I'll settle for being Tony-nominated.
