VIDEO: New 42 President & CEO Russell Granet Visits Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge

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Below, watch as he chats with the President & CEO of New 42, Russell Granet, who has led the organization through the COVID crisis and now through the re-opening of their theater and rehearsal studios this fall.

"I can't wait to be in our theatre again, with an audience," said Russell. "It's a long time coming and we did this a month at a time. It will be two years [since we were last open] and that's crazy!"

New 42 is a cultural nonprofit whose mission is to make extraordinary performing arts a vital part of everyone's life from the earliest years onward. Driven by a deep commitment to performing arts access, New 42 connects people to world-class performances, essential education and employment programs, and creative communities that push culture forward. Through New Victory and New 42 Studios, the nonprofit serves artists, educators and New Yorkers of all ages with invaluable arts engagement and resources in and beyond the performing arts. Together with our supporters, New 42 opens new perspectives, incubates new works and creates new opportunities to move us all. Click here to learn more about New 42.

Granet explained that the organization is taking huge strides to keep kids safe through the reopening process."We're solely dedicated to families and kids. A number of organizations have said, very politely, that 12 and under are no longer welcome. We are embracing and throwing the doors open, saying, 'We will figure this out.' In addition to PCR testing and proof of vaccine (if you're eligible), and a mask, we are still social distancing within the theatre. We are only at 50% capacity so that we can ensure that kids who are not vaccinated are safe within our theatre."

Prior to joining New 42 as CEO, Russell Granet was Acting President of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts from April 2018 to May 2019. Mr. Granet assumed this leadership role during a pivotal moment in Lincoln Center's longstanding efforts to bring the best of the performing arts to the broadest possible audience. Mr. Granet joined Lincoln Center after having founded the international consulting group Arts Education Resource (AER), which worked with leading cultural institutions, school districts, and public and independent schools on wide-ranging projects that included board development, strategic planning, program design, program funding, program implementation, and development of arts education programs for students with disabilities.

Watch the full interview with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge below!