Broadway Speakers Bureau

The Broadway Speakers Bureau program was started by The Broadway League in September 2003. This program was designed to help students learn about non-performance related careers in the performing arts from top industry professionals.

Panels of three to four speakers, moderated by Broadway League member Alan Simon, represent a variety of industry careers, including producing, general management, company management, marketing, press and stage management. Both high school and college students are invited to participate in these panel discussions each year. The events occur at the school’s campus or at the League offices in mid-town Manhattan.

Distance learning opportunities are also available for schools around the country that have the necessary technology to participate in video conferencing. Panels are currently being archived and videos will soon be made available of past panels as well. Students who participate in the panels are also given information about possible internship opportunities in theatre industry offices as well as student and rush tickets to Broadway shows.

These seminars share information about non-performance careers in the arts (producing, general management, marketing, press, stage management, etc.) with schools around the country. Our speakers include award-winning professionals associated with many of the top Broadway shows including Wicked, Billy Elliot, Spring Awakening, Frost/Nixon, Legally Blonde, The Producers, Rent, and Grease.

We have our speakers in a studio in New York City and students from your city connect via distance learning video conferencing into the seminar. These events occur live (not taped) and the students are encouraged to ask questions of the speakers at the end. These particular seminars are specifically geared toward high school or college students.

This new initiative is collaboration between the award-winning art teacher, Eric Staib, of the Okemos School District and the MSU Federal Credit Union Institute for Arts & Creativity. We will be partnering with Eric and his various students throughout the Okemos School District to create art for the Wharton Center lobbies that relate to the family focused Broadway shows that we will be presenting this season.

This season the shows that we are working on are WarHorse, Blue Man Group, American Idiot and Catch Me If You Can.