The Business of Broadway

This podcast interviews Broadway producer Jill Furman about the realities of producing Broadway shows. The conversation covers the producer's role (shepherding shows from inception to closure, securing funding, and managing various aspects of production), the lengthy and unpredictable process of bringing a show to Broadway (illustrated by the 10-year journey of "Suffs"), and the challenges of securing funding given the high risk and low return rate (80% of shows don't recoup their investment). Furman discusses her strategies for finding investors, including appealing to their passion for the arts and offering opportunities for involvement, and highlights the success of "Hamilton" as a rare exception. The interview also touches on the scalability challenges of Broadway productions and the importance of casting decisions.