CTI Announces Seakers For 28th Annual 3 Day Producing Conference 5/15-5/17

The Commercial Theater Institute's (CTI) annual three-day intensive training program, "Producing for the Commercial Theatre" boasts an A-List faculty line-up. This unique program is designed to help foster the next generation of commercial theatre producers and is open to anyone interested in producing or co-producing on or Off-Broadway, on the road, or investing in commercial productions.

For 28 years, the Commercial Theater Institute has been the preeminent apprentice program for those interested in learning about commercial theatre. Presented by The Broadway League and Theatre Development Fund, hundreds of graduates of the program have proceeded to produce successfully on and off Broadway.

Spread over three days with over 24 hours of lectures, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, attendees receive factual information required to get a show on stage. Workshop leaders are drawn from a pool of commercial theatre's most respected producers, general managers, theatre operators, press and literary agents, theatrical attorneys, and others. These industry professionals cover the business essentials of topics such as creative development, marketing, management, non-profits, legal issues, and the challenges of producing on and off Broadway.

"In our 28th year of operation, interest in our programs is at an all time high. In these rough economic times, and with the proliferation of plays and musicals this spring, there still seems to be a large number of people anxious to participate under the bright lights of Broadway. This program helps them understand the process and therefore have a better chance of producing a project most destined for success. If you're going to take a risk, be as informed as you can be!" said CTI Executive Director Jed Bernstein.

Workshops include the following:

WHY PRODUCE AT ALL? led by David Stone, Stone Productions Inc

PRODUCTION BUDGET ANALYSIS, led by Charlotte Wilcox, The Charlotte Wilcox Company

OPTIONS FOR CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT, led by Bill Haber, OSTAR Enterprises, Inc.

STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND THE MANAGEMENT OF RISK, led by Roy Furman, Jefferies & Company, Inc.

LEGAL ASPECTS OF PRODUCING, led by Scott Lazarus, Lazarus & Harris LLP

ROYALTY POOLS & PRODUCER INCOME STREAMS, led by Roy Gabay, Roy Gabay Productions

PLAY PRODUCTION: UNIQUE CHALLENGES Panel with Randall Wreghitt, Randall L. Wreghitt Productions LLC; Scott Morfee, Barrow Street Theatre; Willette Klausner, Three Mo' Tenors; Stephen Byrd, Front Row Productions; Barbara Freitag, Producer; Steve Traxler, Jam Theatricals; moderated by Jack Viertel, Jujamcyn Theaters

MANAGING THE MARKETING MIX Panel with Hugh Hysell, HHC Marketing; Nick Pramik, Type A Marketing; Anne Rippey, Type A Marketing; Donna Walker-Kuhne, Walker International Communications Group; Tanya Grubich, Allied Live; John Lanasa, Situation Marketing; moderated by Scott Moore The Producing Office

SHOW ME THE MONEY: Care and Feeding of Investors Panel with Roy Miller, Paperboy Theatricals; Dori Berinstein, Dramatic Forces; Steve Baruch, Scorpio Entertainment; Kristen Caskey, Fox Theatricals; and Ken Davenport, Davenport Theatricals; moderated by Ed Sandler, The Broadway League

WORKING WITH CREATIVE TEAMS, led by Todd Haimes, Roundabout Theatre Company

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT & EXPLOITATION OF MATERIALS, led by Ted Chapin, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization

BUILDING YOUR SHOW'S BRAND, led by Jed Bernstein, Above the Title Entertainment

PROMOTING YOUR SHOW Panel, moderated by David LeShay, TDF with panelists Adrian Bryan-Brown, Boneau/Bryan-Brown; Michael Hartman, Barlow-Hartman Public Relations; Rick Miramontez, O&M Co.; Pete Sanders, Fifteen Minutes Public Relations; and Jeremy Shaffer, The Publicity Office

CREATIVE PRODUCING, led by Kevin McCollum, The Producing Office

Both Friday and Saturday will end with a wine and cheese reception where participants can network with the speakers.

The fee for the three-day workshop is $435. For more information or to register for the CTI seminar, visit www.commercialtheaterinstitute.com or contact the CTI office at (212) 586-1109.