Tag "George Abbot"

  • 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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