FUN HOME Producers, Circle in the Square's Paul Libin Set for CUNY TV's STOLER REPORT Next Week

Michael Stoler customarily hosts executives from real estate and retail on his weekly CUNY TV business show, THE STOLER REPORT. But Broadway is big business, too, and the producers (and landlord) of the new hit musical Fun Home are Stoler's guests, talking about the dreams and practicalities of producing a Broadway musical.

I Want to Be A Broadway Producer! features Kristin Caskey, President of FOX Theatricals; Mike Isaacson, Producer, FOX Theatricals; Barbara Whitman, producer -- all of whom are principal producers of Fun Home -- and Paul Libin, co-owner of Circle in THE SQUARE where the hit musical is settling down for a long run.

THE STOLER REPORT -- I Want to Be A Broadway Producer! begins Tuesday, May 12 (2015) at 11pm on CUNY TV* and will be repeated Wed 5/13 at 8:30am, 2:30pm, and 10:30pm and Sun 5/17 at 10:30am. The program also may be viewed anytime on www.cuny.tv.

Featured in the discussion are topics including where investors come from; how being a producer is like good parenting; enormous technological change in scenic presentation; the value of a developmental production; selecting the right venue for a theatrical work; the intense nature of partnerships; success-to-failure ratios; the appeal of live theatre in an era of video and cellphones; original cast recordings; musicals as the great American art form; always having multiple projects; correct capitalization; and, finally, knowing when to close a show.

The guests agree that there is no formula for producing hits. But Mike Isaacson offers a unique perspective not fully understood by those outside of professional theatre: "It's always easier to raise the money than to create a great show. And one thing that we learned very early on is that, if you get the show right -- which is the hardest thing -- the money follows."

Based on Alison Bechdel's best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home has music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. THE STOLER REPORT was taped on April 2, just after Broadway previews began on March 27. The musical opened on April 19 to enthusiastic notices and has been breaking box office records at the Circle in the Square. THE STOLER REPORT picked a winner!

*CUNY TV is broadcast over-the-air in the tri-state area on Ch. 25.3, and cablecast in THE FIVE boroughs of New York City on Ch. 75 (Time Warner and Optimum), Ch. 77 (RCN) and Ch. 30 (Verizon FiOS).

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