Richard Frankel is a six-time Tony-winning Theatrical Producer and General Manager who has been producing and managing on and off-Broadway since 1970. He has been working in partnership with Tom Viertel, Steve Baruch, and Marc Routh since 1985. In 1985, he formed Richard Frankel Productions and produced Penn & Teller's first off-Broadway show. In 1991, Marc Routh was added as a producing partner and they together produced a string of successful Off-Broadway shows including Driving Miss Daisy, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and Love Letters. In 1994 Richard Frankel Productions and Marc Routh, along with others, produced Stomp. In 2000, Frankel and his partners were selected by Mel Brooks to serve on the team of producers for The Producers. The musical would go on to break the all-time Tony Awards records by earning twelve awards in 2001, winning the Tony Award in all categories for which it was eligible. In 2012, he and his partners announced plans to build and produce a new cabaret space 54 Below which opened on June 2, 2012.
Richard came up through the ranks of Broadway, before winning his six Tonys for shows like The Producers, Hairspray, and Company. And he sat down with me to talk to me about just how he built his company, as well as . . .
- How he and his partners raised money for their first show in an afternoon.
- Why he prefers to do things (GM, booking, etc.) in house.
- How he got Mel Brooks to give him the chance to produce The Producers (and it was a lot easier than you think).
- Why he prefers small investors to big investors.
- The origins of the premium ticket and why it’s important to have them.
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