The Hartman Group News

Matt Ross PR has officially rebranded, and will operate under the new name Print Shop PR. The company was founded in 2014 under its original name, and was led solely by Ross. Now, longtime employee Nicole Capatasto has been named partner.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Michelle Williams begins performances in Once On This Island, and more!

Serino Coyne, a leading live entertainment advertising and marketing agency and part of Omnicom Group Inc., today announced that Michael Hartman, the founder and CEO of The Hartman Group and co-founder and president of Barlow-Hartman, two successful theatrical media relations companies, has joined the agency as a managing director. In this newly created role, Hartman will join Serino Coyne's dynamic staff of artists, innovators and data-driven strategists to oversee the agency's new business development.

After a decade working in the New York City entertainment industry, veteran publicist Emily McGill founded Press Play, a boutique public relations firm serving the entertainment community. Prior to her most recent position with Disney Theatrical Productions where she handled the Broadway productions of The Lion King and Aladdin, Emily worked with boutique theatrical PR agencies The Hartman Group and Philip Rinaldi Publicity, as well as the 2015 New York Observer's number one public relations agency, DKC Public Relations.

King Kullen is proud to celebrate National Family Meals Month this September. This nationwide, annual movement was created by the Food Marketing Institute Foundation to raise awareness of the benefits of frequent family meals. With the support of community health organizations, King Kullen and other grocers and manufacturers encourage families to share one more meal at home per week.

Schwan's Consumer Brands, Inc. is launching two new flavors of Freschetta Gluten Free Pizza during Celiac Awareness Month in May, showing consumers they don't have to sacrifice taste when living a gluten free lifestyle. The new flavors, Spinach & Roasted Mushroom and Tuscan Style Chicken, join the brand's existing gluten-free pizzas, which feature the same Freschetta Gluten Free crust that is certified by the National Celiac Association.

J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF) announced today select Whole Fruit Fruit Bars and Organic Juice Tubes are now Non-GMO Project Verified. This trusted logo assures consumers no genetically modified ingredients are used during the making of the deliciously fruity frozen treat. Whole Fruit is proud to offer consumers the same guilt-free formula and great taste, NOW with the Non-GMO Project Verified seal! Whole Fruit Fruit Bars and Organic Juice Tubes are available for frozen novelty lovers nationwide, just check the freezer section of local retail supermarkets, supercenters and warehouse club stores.

With innovation exploding in the specialty food industry, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) has created a product development boot camp to help attendees master the three major elements of getting a new product to market: "Plan. Make. Launch." Taking place in Dallas, Texas from April 8-10, the summit will empower business owners with information, inspiration, and plenty of networking opportunities.

Longtime theatrical press agent Michael Hartman recently said goodbye to Broadway, closing The Hartman Group in January of 2014 to take over as CEO of Amy's Ice Creams in Texas, and today he's given his first interview in his new role. Grab a scoop, and play below!

Matt Ross Public Relations - a new agency dedicated to creating and executing focused, impactful publicity campaigns for theatre productions and entities in New York and beyond - will open its doors for business on Monday, January 6, 2014. The agency will consist of founder Matt Ross and associate Nicole Capatasto, both formerly of The Hartman Group. Clients will include Murder For Two; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812; the upcoming Broadway revival of On The Town; and Maxolev Productions (Howard & Janet Kagan); with additional projects to be announced in the near future.

Veteran press agent Leslie Baden Papa will launch Vivacity Media Group, an entertainment public relations agency on January 6, 2014. Publicist Whitney Holden Gore will join the firm as Vice President.

Broadway PR firm Polk & Co.'s founder and president, Matt Polk, has just announced that Tom D'Ambrosio, Wayne Wolfe, Frances White and Colgan McNeil will be joining the public relations, media strategies and social media firm. Beginning January 6, 2014, the four press agents, formerly of The Hartman Group, will join the existing company of five including press agents Jessica Johnson and Michelle Bergmann.

Just yesterday, it was announced that the Hartman Group, the Broadway press agency that was slated to represent the new musical, would close its doors in January 2014. Since then, Houdini producer Scott Sanders told the New York Times that the show is now aiming for a run in the 2015-16 theatre season. He told the NYT: "I'm very supportive of Michael's decision, as I think everyone is, because this is certainly the time in one's life to do something like this. We'll figure out how to successfully transition some of our projects to another firm or elsewhere."

After beginning his career in 1993, longtime theatrical press agent MICHAEL HARTMAN, founder and CEO of one of the largest and most successful theatrical publicity firms in New York, will say goodbye to Broadway and close THE HARTMAN GROUP on Sunday, January 5, 2014, remaining fully operational until then.

According to The Washington Post, Molly Smith, artistic director of Arena Stage has signed on to direct a production of Eric Coble's THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN on Broadway in the Spring of 2013, a production that'll mark Broadway debuts for both. Lead producer Larry Kaye has said that signed on to star will be Estelle Parsons and Stephen Spinella.

Yesterday, September 10, The New York Mets partnered with Seraphim12 Foundation on 'Hooves on First' Night at Citi Field when the Mets hosted the Washington Nationals. The fundraiser will raise awareness about the treatment of horses.

MEMPHIS' Montego Glover and David Bryan performed the National Anthem at the NY RedBulls vs LA Galaxy soccer game on Tuesday, October 4th. Check out photos from the big event below!

Camp Broadway®, Broadway's Original Summer Camp, and Billy Elliot the Musical are presenting Camp Broadway Dance Track, a week-long dance intensive for theatre loving dancers ages 10-17, featuring classes in ballet, tap, jazz and choreography from hit Broadway shows. The program is being offered for two weeks only: March 14-18 and April 18-22, 2011.

The cast of Broadway's Tony Award winning Best Musical MEMPHIS performed 'Steal Your Rock ‘n' Roll' live on ABC's 'Good Morning America' on Friday, January 28th. Critically acclaimed MEMPHIS won four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score (David Bryan and Joe DiPietro), Best Book (Joe DiPietro), and Best Orchestrations (David Bryan and Daryl Waters).

Two hit shows, one featuring the legendary songs of the Beatles and one featuring the irresistible rock of the 1980s, move to new homes and THE HARTMAN GROUP is pleased to present its new 2011 spring season.