How Hamilton stayed alive during the pandemic: An interview with producer Jeffrey Seller

Forward Thinking

In this episode of the McKinsey Global Institute’s Forward Thinking podcast, co-host Anna Bernasek speaks with Jeffrey Seller, producer of Broadway hits Hamilton, In the Heights, Rent, and more about the tumultuous year-plus Broadway and live performances have endured. Ahead of Broadway reopening in September 2021 and live performances coming back across the United States and other countries, the man is non-stop. Jeffrey took us inside the room where it happened, sharing his experiences, including:
• Shutting down, pivoting, then staging a production in Australia during the pandemic
• How digital streaming services like Disney+ and Spotify affected demand for performance tickets
• Why he created an affordable ticket lottery to increase access to the magic of live, in-person performances
• Why he’s still an optimist, but one who’s focused on resilience

This conversation was recorded in May 2021. To read a transcript of this episode, visit: https://mck.co/jeffreyseller

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