Be a Producer

I met Amanda Jacobs on a bright sunny morning while dropping off my two-year old at her new school. At the time, Amanda had just finished writing her first musical, DANIEL, and was about to embark on a new adventure with her writing partner, Lindsay Baker, to create a musical adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. It’s hard to believe that was almost nine years ago, and our daughters are both turning 10 now!

Even more unbelievable is the fact that our meeting would result in my becoming a Broadway producer. So many people have asked me: “How do you become a producer?” I answer: “You just have to DO IT! Take one step at a time and stay focused on your final goal.” It’s exactly the same formula successful people use to achieve any goal.

There are, however, some aspects about being a producer that mystify the general public – specifically, the different types of producers. Here’s a quick lesson:

1) Lead Producer: in this case, me. This is the person who finds the show, options it (makes a legal offer to the writers for the rights to produce the show) and assembles the team. It’s also the person who makes all the decisions, raises the money and pays all the bills!

2) Co-Producer: a Lead Producer might bring on a Co-Producer to work together in the decision-making and money-raising processes.

3) Above Title Producer: these are people who either put in or raise $1,000,000 or more for the show and attend all artistic meetings.

4) Associate Producer: these are people who either put in or raise $500,000 or more and also have the right to attend all artistic meetings.

5) Producer: this is everyone else who invests in a show. So, if you want to be a producer, just find a show you believe in, invest at least the minimum amount (typically $10,000) and get great opening night seats and an invitation to the big party!

6) Executive Producer: this is a person who produces in name only and acts as a mentor to the lead producer as well as adding credibility.

Granted, most people don’t start out as lead producer; they work their way up the ladder. But most people don’t have a Broadway-ready script handed to them, along with a creative team to die for! I became a producer the day I stepped into Donald Farber’s office, and he asked me who I was and I said, “The producer.” He believed enough in the project and in me to take me on as a client and mentor me through the process. After Don, I was able to secure Charlotte Wilcox as our General Manager, which got me Mark Lamos as our Director, which led to our first Broadway reading where we brought on Fred Lassen as Music Director and we found our Mr. Darcy, Colin Donnell. I knew we had arrived when we hit Playbill in February 2007 with Polly Bergen (the original Elizabeth in First Impressions) as our guest narrator!

The turning point for the show was my being accepted into The Producer Development Program offered by the Commercial Theatre Institute in New York (CTI), where I got to sit with 24 other up-and-coming producers and learn from the best. What I learned is that in order to succeed in this business, you have to find your passion and then assemble a dream team. I was lucky. I already had a show I was passionate about, and the team that I had assembled was first class. Now it came down to raising the money. I was lucky again, as I was invited to make a presentation at a well-known women’s club in my hometown of Rochester, NY, and I decided to bring in my star, Colin Donnell. Colin stole the show, and received a standing ovation with a request for an encore. That day changed my life, and I have raised close to $1,000,000 as a result.

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, A Musical Play is my dream come true, and I’m so lucky to be sharing my dream with the world.

If you would like to be a part of this dream – and make your own dreams of being a producer come true – please contact me to set up a personal meeting.

Lori Bajorek

Creaking Door Productions

info@prideandprejudicebroadway.com