Day 4:31 PM

  • Interview with Ken Waissman

    5-24-16 Interview

    6-21-16 Broadway Producer Ken Waissman decided what he was going to be at 6 years old when he saw his first Broadway plays. He was so profoundly affected by this experience that he can still recall moments from those early plays, like seeing Ella Logan standing at the footlights singing “How Are Things in Glocca Morra” in the original production of Finian’s Rainbow. Knowing that his father was in ‘business’ little Ken asked him who was ‘the boss’ of this amazing thing and when Dad replied “the producer,’” the dye was cast. Unwilling to wait until he grew up to pursue this passion, Ken began producing plays in the family basement when he was 11 years old. Remarkable ingenuity and resolve went into these productions, the profit from which was donated to charity, and Ken, already showing marketing savvy, made sure that the donations took place on TV. Ken went on to produce TV shows in Bogota Columbia for the Peace Corp, apprentice to the iconic theater guru George Abbot, and then to produce such Broadway hits as Fortune in Men’s Eye’s and Grease. Currently he is working on “Josephine” a musical based on the life of Josephine Baker which he expects to bring to Broadway. Listen to this exuberant, passionate man talk about the work to which he has given his life.

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  • Interview with Joel King

    5-24-16 Interview

    6-14-16 Artist, singer, dancer, actor, playwright, producer, director Joel King discovered his multiple talents unexpectedly. He would simply do these things; draw, sing, dance, write and act, and luckily for him people continually congratulated him on his skill and encouraged him to do more of it. Over time Joel realized that what he wanted to do was sing but to please his mother who, who recognizing his artistic skill and like many other parents wanted him to choose a career that would pay, encouraged him to major in Architectural Design. So Joel majored in Architectural Design and minored in music. Then after auditioning for and capturing a role in a play, Joel was’ persuaded by the heads of the drama dept. to add another minor in theater. He said “I still liked Architectural Design, but I loved theater.” Since graduation Joel has written, produced and directed many original shows and acted in many others. Currently he got to see a workshop production of his HipOpera “Real Life,” done by the West Coast Black Theater Troupe in Sarasota FL. Listen to this gentle, ingenuous young man talk about the ironic way he discovered his talents and his passions and what he wants to accomplish in his life

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