An International Perspective: What in the World Is Happening to Theater?
Friday, July 2nd, 2021 at 4:30 eastern time
Community Gathering on Zoom - register with the bright red reservation box to receive the Zoom link. These gatherings are a service for the theater community and are offered free for TRU members; we ask that non-members help keep us running by making a donation or joining as a member.
In the room: Australian producer Neil Gooding (Australian premieres of Gutenberg! The Musical!, and Dogfight and New York productions of Church and State, Handle with Care, The 39 Steps, Alan Cumming’s one-man Macbeth on Broadway; upcoming production of Back to the Future in London); UK producer Ramin Sabi, award winning theater and film producer (London: The Prince of Egypt, Olivier Award winning Company, Gypsy with Imelda Staunton, Nativity the musical; NY: upcoming Company, The Ferryman, 1984). We're finally heading back to live performance here in New York. London and Australia have had their ups and downs, with reopening attempts long before ours. How has that worked? We'll meet two producers who have dealt with – and are dealing with – getting shows back up in what we hope is the post-pandemic era.
Panelists
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NEIL GOODING
As a director, Neil was nominated for a 2009 Helpmann Award and a 2009 Green Room Award for the Australian premiere of Gutenberg! The Musical!. He has also been nominated for a Sydney Theatre Critics Award for his direction of the Australian premiere of Dogfight. Directing highlights include the Australian premieres of Stalking The Bogeyman and The Bridges Of Madison County and the World Premiere of Paris (in concert), The Red Tree and Becoming Bill. Other highlights include the New York Production of Church And State (Asst. Director), Passion, The Hatpin (Asst. Director). Neil was also assistant director to Gale Edwards for the launch concert of Kookaburra Music Theatre Company. As Producer / Director Neil has created many productions including Sing on Through Tomorrow (a song revue of the music of Matthew Robinson); LOVEBiTES by Peter Rutherford and James Millar; Love Letters (starring Ian Stenlake and Rachael Beck), Truth Beauty And A Picture Of You and High Fidelity (Hayes Theatre Co); the national tour of Thank You for Being A Friend; as well as Side by Side by Sondheim and Diciasette (starring Mark Vincent). His producing work internationally includes the New York productions of Church and State, Handle with Care; The 39 Steps; Alan Cumming’s one-man version of Macbeth on Broadway; as well as being a financial investor in It’s Only A Play and The Ferryman. In London’s West End, NGP has produced the hit Australian play, Holding the Man, Cyrano and the upcoming Back to the Future.
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RAMIN SABI
is an award-winning theatre & film producer. Broadway shows include: Company (Jacobs, Upcoming) The Ferryman (Jacobs – Tony Award, Best Play) and 1984 (Hudson). Independently, his West End Producing credits include: The Prince Of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), Gypsy starring Imelda Staunton (Savoy Theatre, 4 Olivier Awards); Company (Gielgud Theatre, 4 Olivier Awards); Nativity The Musical (World Premiere - Hammersmith Apollo and UK Tour); Annie (Piccadilly, National Tours and Toronto); 1984 (Playhouse Theatre); 9 TO 5 (Savoy Theatre and UK Tour); Show Boat (New London Theatre, Olivier nominee); Heisenberg (Wyndham’s Theatre) and The Wild Party (The Other Palace). Through his company DEM Productions, which won the 2016 OffWestEnd Award for Best Producer, productions include: Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3⁄4 - The Musical (Ambassadors Theatre, West End); Dust (Nominated 2019 WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Play and Best Off West End Production, New York Times Critics Pick, Trafalgar Studios, New York Theatre Workshop); the European Premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s Working (Nominated 2018 WhatsOnStage Award Best Off West End Production and 2018 OffWestEnd Award for Best Production, Southwark Playhouse); first major UK revival of Spring Awakening (2019 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production, Hope Mill Theatre); the world premieres of Karagula (Styx/Soho Theatre); Clickbait, Four Play and Sense Of An Ending (Theatre503) and six other play revivals. Film work includes a number of commercials, music videos and short films, with a wide range of festival accolades. He was also an executive producer on the Berlin Crystal Bear winning independent feature film Butterfly Kisses, Gypsy: Live From The Savoy (BBC/PBS), BAFTA-nominated short Wren Boys, Sundance Jury award-winning short The Devil’s Harmony, and associate producer on Mrs Lowry & Son starring Timothy Spall & Vanessa Redgrave. Ramin is also an Economist at Her Majesty’s Treasury and wrote the acclaimed cult musical John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice: The Musical!
