Meet Broadway and London's New Power Producing Duo: Husbands Sean Nyberg And Paul Danforth

Husbands Sean Nyberg and Paul Danforth are following their dream. The two new producers have ventured into the world of theater, producing shows on Broadway, in London’s West End, Off-Broadway, and in the United Kingdom.

Their first experience walking the red carpet as producers was on opening night of Jamie Lloyd’s smash revival of EVITA in the West End. That production starred Rachel Zegler as the titular heroine and up-and-comer Diego Andres Rodriquez as Che. Now, Nyberg and Danforth are collaborating on nearly three dozen productions in New York, London, and beyond.

Nyberg’s foray into producing was a bit of a full circle moment for him. It was the film adaptation of EVITA that made Nyberg a theater lover when he was a young boy. “After seeing the movie starring Madonna, I sought out the original Broadway cast album and listened to it non-stop,” says Nyberg. He told Broadway World that he’s been a theater fan ever since. Nyberg taught dance for 10-years while he was a student in college and law school. He said, “Theater has always been my passion, and it is something I wished I’d had always done, but instead I took a more boring route and went to law school.”

It was a different production of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that fascinated Danforth. On their second trip to New York City together, Paul and Sean saw the Tony winning revival of Sunset Blvd. They were so enamored with the show that they saw it a second time before they left New York, and another five times in subsequent trips. Paul said, “Sunset Blvd holds a special place in our hearts. I absolutely loved it.”

Producing theater has now become a full-time gig for Danforth and Nyberg. In their previous careers Nyberg spent many years as a criminal defense and estate planning attorney.  Danforth taught high school English for over 16-years and coached both volleyball and track and field. “I’m still coaching, but I may have to give that up. The travel schedule with our theater commitments is pretty demanding,” Danforth said.

Paul and Sean are now involved in theater for one main reason; their love of the arts. In addition to announcing their investment in 31 productions, the men have also made charitable contributions to The Roundabout Theater Company and The Entertainment Fund through the 50th anniversary celebration of A Chorus Line, an event produced by Christopher Ketner and Hunter Regian, two new friends they’ve made during this process.

Both admit picking projects can be daunting, but Nyberg credits Danforth’s literary experience with helping them pick the projects that they are deciding between. “Paul has a strong intuition for the types of stories that are going to do well.”

Danforth adds, “As a former teacher I rely on my experience seeing what plays resonated with the students. I gravitate to the stories that have universal appeal.”

The two new producers are grateful to industry veterans they’ve met who’ve become mentors helping them navigate the rocky waters of producing. They’ve learned the importance of diversifying their portfolio of shows. They’re selecting both large and small projects on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in London’s West End.

Nyberg and Danforth have 10 shows opening in the next 30-days. They have invested in the highly anticipated Broadway revival of Oedipus and the Off-Broadway revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee starring Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers. They are co-producers on the Broadway premiere of the new musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York.) Their other shows opening soon include the theatrical adaptations of The Hunger Games and Paddington in London’s West End, the Off-Broadway productions of Messy White Gays and The Baker’s Wife, the US Tour of Spamalot, the UK production of Freaky Friday, and the UK workshop of Midnight, a new musical from Todrick Hall.

In addition to their new openings, Paul and Sean have three hit shows currently running in New York. They are co-producers in the Broadway production of Art starring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris and the off-Broadway revival of Heathers. They’ve also invested in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Waiting for Godot with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winters. They have two shows currently running in London, the play Clarkson starring Joe Locke and the musical 50 First Dates. They are also invested in three tours currently on the road including the US tour of Stereophonic, the most Tony nominated play of all time, the Australia tour of Back to the Future, and the UK tour of the British mystery series Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badgers Drift.

The two humbly admit that they are extremely fortunate to have the financial resources to leap into this next phase of their lives. They are also aware that the cost to produce, especially on Broadway, has become a big problem for the industry. Nyberg says, “One of our goals is to not only invest in shows but also invest in the next generation of producers who have shared with us a number of solutions to the current financial structure of Broadway. The only way to solve a major problem is to make major change and there are a lot of smart and creative ideas that would strengthen Broadway and make it more accessible, while continuing to provide investors with attractive opportunities, and, most importantly, taking care of the creative communities that make all of this possible.”

The other thing the couple is finding fulfilling is the opportunity to work on projects together. “The greatest thing about producing is that we get to do it together.” Nyberg continued, “Working alongside one another has only strengthened our relationship. Every one of these projects is a risk and there’s always a moment of hesitation before committing to a new production, but there’s something else special about taking that leap with the man that you love that makes it a little less scary and a lot more fun.”

One thing is certain, Paul Danforth and Sean Nyberg have become involved in the theater for all the right reasons. They have allowed their love of the art to lead them into this next venture in their lives.

Editors note: Since the date of publication Nyberg and Danforth have announced their collaboration in two additional productions. They are investors in the Cynthia Erivo led Dracula in London’s West End and have joined the team of All Out, a new comedy about ambition that will premiere at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre in December.