Technical Theatre Legend David Rosenberg To Be Honored With Backstage Legends And Masters Award

Purchase College, State University of New York's Broadway Technical Theatre History Project, will present the Eighth Annual Broadway technical "Backstage Legends and Masters Award" to esteemed theater legend, David Rosenberg on Monday, April 22, 2019 at 7 p.m.

Rosenberg joins previous Backstage Legends and Masters honorees Artie Siccardi (2012), Arnold Abramson (2013), Fred Gallo (2014), Gene O'Donovan (2015), Pete Feller, Sr. (2016), Joseph B. Forbes (2017), and Alyce Gilbert (2018).

David Rosenberg spent the first 25 years of his career working in scenic shops, as an Off-Broadway electrician and as a touring stage manager and production manager. After he was ensconced in the business, Rosenberg invested his savings in the purchase of iWeiss, which offers draping and rigging solutions to the entertainment industry. During his tenure at iWeiss, he oversaw the company's growth from a struggling company with fewer than 5 employees to a thriving industry leader with 40 employees.

He has worked on such legendary Broadway and touring productions as The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Hairspray, Angles in America, The Producers, Mamma Mia, and Kinky Boots, as well as some of the most prominent dance companies in the country including New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey, American Ballet Theatre, and Twyla Tharp. He's worked with headliners such as Celine Dion and Bette Midler in Las Vegas, and on numerous television, theatrical, and film productions as well as on the construction and renovation of numerous theaters across the country.

"David Rosenberg has had a long and distinguished career," said Dan Hanessian, associate professor at Purchase, who launched the Broadway Technical Theatre History Project in 2011. "His is a true Broadway success story. While he's known now for his successful stewardship of iWeiss, he started off working in production. With the combination of talent, hard work and perseverance, David was able to bridge life backstage with his vision for iWeiss and turn it into one of the leading soft goods and rigging companies out there. I look forward to the wisdom he can share with our students who are just starting out their backstage careers," he said. Hanessian trains up-and-coming technical directors and production managers in the Design/Technology Program of the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Purchase.

The free event will take place in the Performing Arts Center on the College's campus at 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY. It will be webcast live and archived for future viewing.

About the Backstage Legends and Masters & the Broadway Technical Theatre History Project

Backstage Legends and Masters, founded by Dan Hanessian, is an annual public presentation spotlighting individuals who have been central to the realization of Broadway productions for many years, but are not typically provided recognition through the Tony or Drama Desk awards. Each year, an individual is selected by a panel of distinguished professionals who represent a variety of Broadway production specialties.

"The goal of the Broadway Technical Theatre History Project is to create a living history of the shops and technical personnel who have played a role in the realization of Broadway productions," Hanessian explains.

This information will be available to the public in a centralized database. The project will also include a visual history and timeline of the shops. For more information, contact Dan Hanessian at dan.hanessian@purchase.edu or (914) 251-6854.

About the Theatre Design/Technology Program at Purchase College

Housed in the Conservatory of Theatre Arts, the professional training program emphasizes studio and classroom training, all under the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of the programs' alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk awards, among other honors. Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all Tristate venues, and with countless touring productions. After the common freshman-year curriculum, students may choose to concentrate in scenic design, costume design, lighting design, costume technology, state management, or technical direction/production management.

About Purchase College, SUNY

Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College, SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu.

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