NBC Exec and Broadway Producer Robert Greenblatt Joins Center Theatre Group's Board of Directors

Center Theatre Group welcomes NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt to its Board of Directors. One of the most influential television executives of the past decade, Greenblatt is also a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer ("A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder").

"It's an honor to join the board of Center Theatre Group," said Greenblatt. "I've always been a theatre lover - from 'Guys and Dolls' back in high school to 'Hairspray Live!' on NBC - and I'm so pleased to be part of a world class organization like Center Theatre Group. I had great experiences working with Michael Ritchie and Center Theatre Group on the world premiere of '9 to 5: The Musical' as well as 'Drowsy Chaperone,' and I look forward to doing everything I can to bring great theatre to more and more people in Los Angeles."

"As we continue to highlight the connection between live theatre and the robust film and TV industry in our background, I cannot think of a better addition to our Board than Bob Greenblatt," said Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. "I've worked with Bob on and off for more than a decade, and he is one of theatre's great advocates. As we continue to strengthen our already wonderful Board, there is no question that we want the guy who used his role as a top TV executive to broadcast musical theatre into the homes of millions of Americans."

Greenblatt joins a prestigious group of entertainment leaders on Center Theatre Group's Board of Directors including Thom Beers, Gail Berman-Masters, Susanne Daniels, Vin Di Bona, Monica Horan Rosenthal, Sandra Stern and Matthew Walden.

"When Center Theatre Group was founded in 1967, entertainment leaders were well represented on our Board of Directors, including our founding President Lew Wasserman and members including George Cukor, Gene Kelly, Walter Mirisch, George Seaton, Gregory Peck and Anne Douglas," said Kiki Ramos Gindler, President of the Board. "This recent expansion is part of our ongoing effort to grow the size of the Board, broaden its expertise and continue elevating Center Theatre Group's position in the entertainment industry as it launches its 50th anniversary season and looks forward to the next 50 years of creating theatre locally in Los Angeles as well as nationally and internationally."

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading nonprofit theatre company, programming seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation's leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

As Chairman of NBC Entertainment since 2011, Robert Greenblatt has taken NBC to the top of the television industry after a decade in last place. Under his leadership, NBC's primetime and late night line-ups were #1 in the key 8-49 demographic for 2013- 14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

A Golden Globe Award-winning producer ("Six Feet Under") and Tony-winning Broadway producer ("A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"), Greenblatt broke ground three years ago with the broadcast of NBC's live musical "The Sound of Music Live!," which attracted 21 million viewers and has become a yearly tradition that is now being replicated by other networks. NBC presented "The Wiz Live!" in 2015, "Hairspray Live!" in 2016, and has "Bye Bye Birdie" starring Jennifer Lopez on tap for December 2017.

Greenblatt's relationship with Dolly Parton led to him producing the Tony- nominated Broadway hit "9 to 5: The Musical" with a score by Parton, as well as NBC's broadcast of her telefilm "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors." The TV movie garnered an audience of 16 million and was followed by the sequel "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" in 2016.

Prior to NBC, Greenblatt was responsible for the transformation of Showtime into a first-class premium cable network from 2004-10 and was one of the original architects of the FOX Broadcasting Company as head of primetime programming from 1994-97.

In 2011, Greenblatt received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award from GLAAD, and in 2016 Greenblatt was presented with The Actors Fund Medal of Honor. Greenblatt is a member of the Broadway League of Theatrical Producers, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Producers Guild of America.