Jeffrey Seller

I have two choices. Close my show or put more money in the bank so I can finance the losses every week. So now you've just gotten to the second most important decision a producer has to make. After what show will I do? When do I close? When the amount of money I bring in every week is less than the amount of money I need to operate my business, I close. What happened with Funny Girl?

I have two choices. Close my show or put more money in the bank so I can finance the losses every week. So now you've just gotten to the second most important decision a producer has to make. After what show will I do? When do I close? When the amount of money I bring in every week is less than the amount of money I need to operate my business, I close. What happened with Funny Girl?

What happened? Right. Well, what happened is that a young, talented star named Lea Michele came and completely 180 degrees turned that show around. Now, why would it then not extend?

What happened? Right. Well, what happened is that a young, talented star named Lea Michele came and completely 180 degrees turned that show around. Now, why would it then not extend?

I think they had her for a year, and stars like Lea Michele or Josh Groban, to get them to come to Broadway for a year is a wonderful thing. And it's very rare that you would get someone of that caliber to extend. Many stars, when they come to Broadway to do a play, will come to do like a 12-week run, and they're gone.

I think they had her for a year, and stars like Lea Michele or Josh Groban, to get them to come to Broadway for a year is a wonderful thing. And it's very rare that you would get someone of that caliber to extend. Many stars, when they come to Broadway to do a play, will come to do like a 12-week run, and they're gone.

Asking a star to play 52 weeks is an enormous lift, and only special stars who love musicals, Hugh Jackman, Lea Michele, Josh Groban, are willing to do that because of their deep love for the form.

Asking a star to play 52 weeks is an enormous lift, and only special stars who love musicals, Hugh Jackman, Lea Michele, Josh Groban, are willing to do that because of their deep love for the form.

Theaters are best operated when it's a mom-and-pop business. That, again, is the producer Jeffrey Seller. We're not a real business. To expect a theater to have earnings growth every quarter is crazy. We go up and we go down. We have hits, but in between those hits, we have four flops in a row. One cannot guarantee shareholders or banks or whoever those people are consistent earnings.

Theaters are best operated when it's a mom-and-pop business. That, again, is the producer Jeffrey Seller. We're not a real business. To expect a theater to have earnings growth every quarter is crazy. We go up and we go down. We have hits, but in between those hits, we have four flops in a row. One cannot guarantee shareholders or banks or whoever those people are consistent earnings.

The danger is that they're going to contribute to inflation by needing to take more of that box office pie to share with those money people.

The danger is that they're going to contribute to inflation by needing to take more of that box office pie to share with those money people.

Oh, I choose to be a producer seven days a week, 365 days a year. I didn't come to New York to be a landlord. I'm a poor kid from Detroit who likes musicals. I don't like buildings. How good a business is the Broadway theater landlord business, however? I wouldn't turn it down. It's a fantastic business. It's heads I win, tails you lose. Period. End of discussion.

Oh, I choose to be a producer seven days a week, 365 days a year. I didn't come to New York to be a landlord. I'm a poor kid from Detroit who likes musicals. I don't like buildings. How good a business is the Broadway theater landlord business, however? I wouldn't turn it down. It's a fantastic business. It's heads I win, tails you lose. Period. End of discussion.

I'll say that to their faces and they know it. And no one's going to say, how dare you say that, Jeffrey? They know it. I know it. We all know it.

I'll say that to their faces and they know it. And no one's going to say, how dare you say that, Jeffrey? They know it. I know it. We all know it.

Jeffrey Seller. Good afternoon. Jeffrey Seller here. I am the producer of Hamilton on Broadway and all over the world.

Jeffrey Seller. Good afternoon. Jeffrey Seller here. I am the producer of Hamilton on Broadway and all over the world.

I came to New York with my bar mitzvah money. I had maybe $1,100, $10,000 of student debt, and my first job netted me $205 a week in 1986. So I had no money. I had no family money. There was no one in my family I could ever call to say, could you put $20,000 or $10,000? I mean, that would be a joke.

I came to New York with my bar mitzvah money. I had maybe $1,100, $10,000 of student debt, and my first job netted me $205 a week in 1986. So I had no money. I had no family money. There was no one in my family I could ever call to say, could you put $20,000 or $10,000? I mean, that would be a joke.

Those are investors who we rely on. And by we, I mean the audience relies upon them. Us holistic producers rely upon them. Historically, they were called dilettantes. And it wasn't necessarily a pejorative. It was just a description of an arts lover and an arts supporter. Is there a relatively infinite supply of the people formerly known as dilettantes?

Those are investors who we rely on. And by we, I mean the audience relies upon them. Us holistic producers rely upon them. Historically, they were called dilettantes. And it wasn't necessarily a pejorative. It was just a description of an arts lover and an arts supporter. Is there a relatively infinite supply of the people formerly known as dilettantes?

There is an interesting pattern, which is that by the late 70s and the 80s, there were very few investors on Broadway. If you look back to the 1980s, if you remove the four British mega hits, Cats, Les Mis, Phantom, and Miss Saigon, all produced by Cameron McIntosh, We had very little musical theater or legitimate play theater going on on Broadway.

There is an interesting pattern, which is that by the late 70s and the 80s, there were very few investors on Broadway. If you look back to the 1980s, if you remove the four British mega hits, Cats, Les Mis, Phantom, and Miss Saigon, all produced by Cameron McIntosh, We had very little musical theater or legitimate play theater going on on Broadway.

People with money had not yet discovered Broadway. Maybe they discovered the world of visual art first. But a lot of people with money started to discover Broadway, enjoy going to Broadway, and enjoy investing in Broadway. We are producing more musicals every year as a result of that activity.

People with money had not yet discovered Broadway. Maybe they discovered the world of visual art first. But a lot of people with money started to discover Broadway, enjoy going to Broadway, and enjoy investing in Broadway. We are producing more musicals every year as a result of that activity.

Lynn and his colleagues, Tommy Kail, who's his director, they walked in my office in the summer of 2003. None of them were 30. They weren't even close to 30. They were courageous and adorable and fun. And the next thing I did is I went and watched them do Freestyle Love Supreme, their hip-hop improvisation show.

Lynn and his colleagues, Tommy Kail, who's his director, they walked in my office in the summer of 2003. None of them were 30. They weren't even close to 30. They were courageous and adorable and fun. And the next thing I did is I went and watched them do Freestyle Love Supreme, their hip-hop improvisation show.

And I thought, oh, Lin is a genius. How is he making these raps up on his feet? So I knew I was in the presence of sheer brilliance. When I experience a new musical, I want the music to prick my ear in a different way. And we created a reading of In the Heights with a small band. And this was my first experience of it.

And I thought, oh, Lin is a genius. How is he making these raps up on his feet? So I knew I was in the presence of sheer brilliance. When I experience a new musical, I want the music to prick my ear in a different way. And we created a reading of In the Heights with a small band. And this was my first experience of it.

When Lynn came out and started that warm, enveloping rap, Lights Up on Washington Heights up at the break of day.

When Lynn came out and started that warm, enveloping rap, Lights Up on Washington Heights up at the break of day.

And then this gorgeous chorus joined behind him singing In the Heights.

And then this gorgeous chorus joined behind him singing In the Heights.

It made the hair on my arms stand up. And I was in.

It made the hair on my arms stand up. And I was in.

I'm an atheist, but it felt like there was divine intervention. I mean, if God was over Michelangelo's shoulders, then he was over Lynn's shoulders as well.

I'm an atheist, but it felt like there was divine intervention. I mean, if God was over Michelangelo's shoulders, then he was over Lynn's shoulders as well.

A full price ticket, Sweeney Todd, $229. Okay. Why? Why does that ticket have to be $229? Correct. Because I employ, to do that show every night, almost 100 people. The good news is that every single one of those people is making well over $2,000 a week. And because they have a great union, they are making benefits that drive their salary closer to $3,000 a week.

A full price ticket, Sweeney Todd, $229. Okay. Why? Why does that ticket have to be $229? Correct. Because I employ, to do that show every night, almost 100 people. The good news is that every single one of those people is making well over $2,000 a week. And because they have a great union, they are making benefits that drive their salary closer to $3,000 a week.

And as a producer, not as a human, but as a producer, how do you feel about that? I am concerned today that we're losing the ability to hit, in baseball terms, a double. When I did Avenue Q, the show cost $3.5 million to put on Broadway, same capitalization as Rent did six years before that. We could operate the show. That means how much it costs every single week to run for about $325,000.

And as a producer, not as a human, but as a producer, how do you feel about that? I am concerned today that we're losing the ability to hit, in baseball terms, a double. When I did Avenue Q, the show cost $3.5 million to put on Broadway, same capitalization as Rent did six years before that. We could operate the show. That means how much it costs every single week to run for about $325,000.

So if we were grossing $500,000 a week, we were making a nice little profit. And by the way, Avenue Q won the Tony, ran on Broadway for six years, and was what I call a solid double. Same exact formula for In the Heights, which came five years after that. However, it was more expensive.

So if we were grossing $500,000 a week, we were making a nice little profit. And by the way, Avenue Q won the Tony, ran on Broadway for six years, and was what I call a solid double. Same exact formula for In the Heights, which came five years after that. However, it was more expensive.

There were 30 people on stage, more musicians, more scenery, more costumes, but it still was able to break even on Broadway every week for only $450,000, which means that if I'm grossing $700 a week, I'm still making a little profit. Today, shows like Avenue Q or In the Heights are costing $10, $12 million. That's more money I have to earn back.

There were 30 people on stage, more musicians, more scenery, more costumes, but it still was able to break even on Broadway every week for only $450,000, which means that if I'm grossing $700 a week, I'm still making a little profit. Today, shows like Avenue Q or In the Heights are costing $10, $12 million. That's more money I have to earn back.

And the operating costs, instead of being $300, $400, $500, are $700, $800, in my case for Sweeney Todd, over $900. And that massive inflation is being driven primarily by what? It's being driven by higher labor costs, higher rental costs for equipment, higher production costs for building sets, higher production costs for building costumes, higher rent from the landlords, advertising costs.

And the operating costs, instead of being $300, $400, $500, are $700, $800, in my case for Sweeney Todd, over $900. And that massive inflation is being driven primarily by what? It's being driven by higher labor costs, higher rental costs for equipment, higher production costs for building sets, higher production costs for building costumes, higher rent from the landlords, advertising costs.

It is also true that there is nothing I can do to become more efficient. I need those 26 to 35 actors. I cannot do it with less. In the case of Sweeney Todd, I need those 26 musicians. That's what I signed up for. That's what it takes.

It is also true that there is nothing I can do to become more efficient. I need those 26 to 35 actors. I cannot do it with less. In the case of Sweeney Todd, I need those 26 musicians. That's what I signed up for. That's what it takes.

I have two choices. Close my show or put more money in the bank so I can finance the losses every week. So now you've just gotten to the second most important decision a producer has to make. After what show will I do? When do I close? When the amount of money I bring in every week is less than the amount of money I need to operate my business, I close. What happened with Funny Girl?

What happened? Right. Well, what happened is that a young, talented star named Lea Michele came and completely 180 degrees turned that show around. Now, why would it then not extend?

I think they had her for a year, and stars like Lea Michele or Josh Groban, to get them to come to Broadway for a year is a wonderful thing. And it's very rare that you would get someone of that caliber to extend. Many stars, when they come to Broadway to do a play, will come to do like a 12-week run, and they're gone.

Asking a star to play 52 weeks is an enormous lift, and only special stars who love musicals, Hugh Jackman, Lea Michele, Josh Groban, are willing to do that because of their deep love for the form.

Theaters are best operated when it's a mom-and-pop business. That, again, is the producer Jeffrey Seller. We're not a real business. To expect a theater to have earnings growth every quarter is crazy. We go up and we go down. We have hits, but in between those hits, we have four flops in a row. One cannot guarantee shareholders or banks or whoever those people are consistent earnings.

The danger is that they're going to contribute to inflation by needing to take more of that box office pie to share with those money people.

Oh, I choose to be a producer seven days a week, 365 days a year. I didn't come to New York to be a landlord. I'm a poor kid from Detroit who likes musicals. I don't like buildings. How good a business is the Broadway theater landlord business, however? I wouldn't turn it down. It's a fantastic business. It's heads I win, tails you lose. Period. End of discussion.

I'll say that to their faces and they know it. And no one's going to say, how dare you say that, Jeffrey? They know it. I know it. We all know it.

Jeffrey Seller. Good afternoon. Jeffrey Seller here. I am the producer of Hamilton on Broadway and all over the world.

I came to New York with my bar mitzvah money. I had maybe $1,100, $10,000 of student debt, and my first job netted me $205 a week in 1986. So I had no money. I had no family money. There was no one in my family I could ever call to say, could you put $20,000 or $10,000? I mean, that would be a joke.

Those are investors who we rely on. And by we, I mean the audience relies upon them. Us holistic producers rely upon them. Historically, they were called dilettantes. And it wasn't necessarily a pejorative. It was just a description of an arts lover and an arts supporter. Is there a relatively infinite supply of the people formerly known as dilettantes?

There is an interesting pattern, which is that by the late 70s and the 80s, there were very few investors on Broadway. If you look back to the 1980s, if you remove the four British mega hits, Cats, Les Mis, Phantom, and Miss Saigon, all produced by Cameron McIntosh, We had very little musical theater or legitimate play theater going on on Broadway.

People with money had not yet discovered Broadway. Maybe they discovered the world of visual art first. But a lot of people with money started to discover Broadway, enjoy going to Broadway, and enjoy investing in Broadway. We are producing more musicals every year as a result of that activity.

Lynn and his colleagues, Tommy Kail, who's his director, they walked in my office in the summer of 2003. None of them were 30. They weren't even close to 30. They were courageous and adorable and fun. And the next thing I did is I went and watched them do Freestyle Love Supreme, their hip-hop improvisation show.

And I thought, oh, Lin is a genius. How is he making these raps up on his feet? So I knew I was in the presence of sheer brilliance. When I experience a new musical, I want the music to prick my ear in a different way. And we created a reading of In the Heights with a small band. And this was my first experience of it.

When Lynn came out and started that warm, enveloping rap, Lights Up on Washington Heights up at the break of day.

And then this gorgeous chorus joined behind him singing In the Heights.

It made the hair on my arms stand up. And I was in.

I'm an atheist, but it felt like there was divine intervention. I mean, if God was over Michelangelo's shoulders, then he was over Lynn's shoulders as well.

A full price ticket, Sweeney Todd, $229. Okay. Why? Why does that ticket have to be $229? Correct. Because I employ, to do that show every night, almost 100 people. The good news is that every single one of those people is making well over $2,000 a week. And because they have a great union, they are making benefits that drive their salary closer to $3,000 a week.

And as a producer, not as a human, but as a producer, how do you feel about that? I am concerned today that we're losing the ability to hit, in baseball terms, a double. When I did Avenue Q, the show cost $3.5 million to put on Broadway, same capitalization as Rent did six years before that. We could operate the show. That means how much it costs every single week to run for about $325,000.

So if we were grossing $500,000 a week, we were making a nice little profit. And by the way, Avenue Q won the Tony, ran on Broadway for six years, and was what I call a solid double. Same exact formula for In the Heights, which came five years after that. However, it was more expensive.

There were 30 people on stage, more musicians, more scenery, more costumes, but it still was able to break even on Broadway every week for only $450,000, which means that if I'm grossing $700 a week, I'm still making a little profit. Today, shows like Avenue Q or In the Heights are costing $10, $12 million. That's more money I have to earn back.

And the operating costs, instead of being $300, $400, $500, are $700, $800, in my case for Sweeney Todd, over $900. And that massive inflation is being driven primarily by what? It's being driven by higher labor costs, higher rental costs for equipment, higher production costs for building sets, higher production costs for building costumes, higher rent from the landlords, advertising costs.

It is also true that there is nothing I can do to become more efficient. I need those 26 to 35 actors. I cannot do it with less. In the case of Sweeney Todd, I need those 26 musicians. That's what I signed up for. That's what it takes.