Podcasts about Bernard Gersten

JEFF HAMLIN Production Manager for Lincoln Center Theater oversaw more than 150 productions from 1985-2014. For Michael Bennett he served as production stage manager on A CHORUS LINE, BALLROOM, and DREAMGIRLS. Today Jeff joins us to discuss the life and career of Bernard Gersten and Lincoln Center Theater. BERNARD GERSTEN affectionately known as “Bernie” Gersten was born on January 30, 1923. From 1960 to 1978 he worked with Joseph Papp as Associate Producer for the New York Shakespeare Festival. He oversaw productions of Hair, That Championship Season, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, Streamers, and A Chorus Line. After leaving NYSF he served as Executive Producer at Lincoln Center Theater from 1985 until he retired in 2013. He over saw over 150 productions for which he received 15 Tony Awards including: House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation, Sarafina, and The Coast of Utopia. In 2013 he received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. Mr. Gersten died on April 27, 2020.    

Les etèries molècules de Txékhov. «La meravellosa família Hardwicke (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike)», de Christopher Durang. Traducció de Cristina Genebat. Intèrprets: Alejandro Bordanove, Paula Jornet, Marta Pérez, Carme Pla, Albert Ribalta i Lide Uranga. Escenografia:. Alejandro Andújar. Vestuari: Alejandro Andújar i Núria Cardoner. Il·luminació: Jaume Ventura. So: Marcel Ferrer. Caracterització: Eva Fernández. Producció executiva: Daniel López-Orós. Cap de producció: Jordi Brunet. Productor delegat: Josep Domènech. Cap tècnic: Jordi Thomàs. Assistent de direcció: Lola Rosales. Regidora: Marta Garolera. Maquinista: Joan Bonany. Transportista: Jaime Abellán. Cap tècnic del teatre: Iker Gabaldón. Construcció de l’escenografia: May, Sol Curiel i Rafa Moro. Realització del vestuari: Maribel Rodríguez. Ajudant de màrqueting i comunicació: Roberta Romero. Premsa: Sandra Costa i Marta Suriol (La Costa Comunicació). Vídeo: Mar Orfila. Fotografies: Kiku Piñol, Mariano Herrera, Marc Sirisi i David Ruano. Disseny gràfic: Enric Jardí. Màrqueting i comunicació: Focus. «Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (La meravellosa família Hardwicke)» va ser produïda originalment per McCarter Theatre, Princeton, N.J. Emily Mann com a directora artística, Timothy J.Shields com a productor executiu i Mara Isaacs com a directora de producció. Produïda l’any 2012 pel Lincoln Center Theater de New York sota la direcció d’André Bishop i Bernard Gersten. Direcció de la versió catalana: David Selvas. Coproducció de Bitò, La Brutal i T de Teatre. La Villarroel, Barcelona, 17 setembre 2022. Veu: Andreu Sotorra Música: These boots are made for Walkin Intèrpretació: La família de Ukeleles Composició: Lee Hazleewood Àlbum: La família de Ukeleles, 2014

This week's show is a special tribute to the life and legacy of Bernard Gersten (1923-2020), a trailblazing producer and non-profit administrator responsible for the success of the Public Theater and Lincoln Center Theater (LCT). Jamie and Rob sat down with Bernard last summer for what would be his final interview. You'll hear excerpts from that conversation along with remembrances and reflections from the Public Theater's artistic director Oskar Eustis, LCT's founding artistic director Gregory Mosher, LCT's current producing artistic director André Bishop, and celebrated director Jerry Zaks. Tune in to hear the amazing, one-of-a-kind story of how Bernard Gersten shaped and changed the American theatre.  This week's music: “Prelude”, “You're the Top”, from “Anything Goes”, “Aquarius”, “Good Morning Starshine" and “Hair” from “Hair”, “Summer, Summer” and “Where's North” from “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, “I Hope I Get It”, “At the Ballet”, “One” and “What I Did For Love” from “A Chorus Line”  Find us on Twitter & Instagram: @fabulousinvalid Facebook: www.facebook.com/fabulousinvalid Rob's reviews: www.stageleft.nyc Email us at: info@fabulousinvalid.com    Jamie Du Mont Twitter: @jamiedumont  Instagram: @troutinnyc  Rob Russo Twitter/Instagram: @StageLeft_NYC  Jennifer Simard Twitter: @SimardJennifer  Instagram: @thejennifersimard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The producing team of the 1986 Tony-nominated play The House of Blue Leaves -- press representative Merle Debuskey, executive producer Bernard Gersten (whose tenure as Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater has scored them numerous Tony Awards including the recent revival of South Pacific, Coast of Utopia and Contact), playwright John Guare (Sweet Smell of Success and Tony Winner for the 1972 musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona), advertising representative James Russek, and director Jerry Zaks (Tony Award winner for Best Direction in 1986 for The House of Blue Leaves, 1989 for Lend Me a Tenor, 1991 for Six Degrees of Separation and 1992 for Guys and Dolls) -- discuss how they came to work on this mid-1960's domestic comedy at Lincoln Center Theatre, first in the off-Broadway Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, then transferring to the much larger Vivian Beaumont Theatre which presented its own challenges, eventually moving to the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway; the economics of producing, subscriber base, and ticket prices at a not-for-profit theater; finding key designers; casting sessions, working with strong actors, and maintaining quality performances in an extended run.

The producing team of the 1986 Tony-nominated play "The House of Blue Leaves" - press representative Merle Debuskey, executive producer Bernard Gersten, playwright John Guare, advertising representative James Russek, and director Jerry Zaks - discuss how they came to work on this mid-1960's domestic comedy at Lincoln Center Theatre, first in the off-Broadway Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, then transferring to the much larger Vivian Beaumont Theatre which presented its own challenges, eventually moving to the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway; the economics of producing, subscriber base, and ticket prices at a not-for-profit theater; finding key designers; casting sessions, working with strong actors, and maintaining quality performances in an extended run.

In May of 1988, Peter Van Zandt moderated a talk with director and Lincoln Center Theatre artistic director Gregory Mosher, just weeks after the opening of the Broadway production of David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow". In a conversation that focuses on Mosher's longstanding relationship with Mamet, and Mosher's leadership of Lincoln Center Theater since 1985, topics include Mosher and Mamet's first meeting in Chicago in 1974; the ambiguity of "Speed-the-Plow"; Mamet's preference for working with the same company of actors and Mosher's desire to open up the casting to a broader range of actors, including the casting of stage neophyte Madonna in her Broadway debut; the issues involved in releasing an actor; why Mosher loves producing perhaps more than directing; how the then-new Lincoln Center membership model compares with the classic theatrical subscription model; whether he believes Lincoln Center Theater should have a resident acting company, as it did when the Vivian Beaumont opened in the 1960s; the process of moving "Sarafina!"; and what he had learned from his new partner at LCT, Bernard Gersten.

We discuss NYC’s legendary Public Theater and its founder, Joseph Papp w/ actor Jerry Stiller, Lincoln Center Exec. Prod. Bernard Gersten and critic Kenneth Turan, author of “Free For All: Joe Papp, The Public, and the Greatest Theater Story Ever Told.”

Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater, takes listeners on a highly condensed tour of his 60-year career in the theatre, including his joining Maurice Evans' US Army Special Services Unit while stationed on Hawaii during World War II; his subsequent New York debut as assistant stage manager, ensemble member and understudy in Evans' "G.I." "Hamlet"; his years as a stage manager, including the threat to his job at the American Shakespeare Festival in Connecticut after he was called before the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee; how he met and came to work with Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, a tenure that included the construction of the "temporary" Delacorte Theatre, the opening of The Public Theater on Astor Place with the original "Hair", and the phenomenal success of "A Chorus Line"; his work with Frances Ford Coppola on four films, including the oft-discussed but little seen "One From the Heart"; how he signed on at the inception of Lincoln Center Theater in 1985 when the Vivian Beaumont was thought to be a highly undesirable venue; and his role in the selection of Andre Bishop as LCT's artistic director upon the departure of Gregory Mosher in 1991. Original air date - December 21, 2009.

Bernard Gersten, whose tenure as Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater has scored them numerous Tony Awards, including the recent revival of South Pacific, Coast of Utopia and Contact, takes listeners on a highly condensed tour of his 60-year career in the theatre, including his joining Maurice Evans' US Army Special Services Unit while stationed on Hawaii during World War II; his subsequent New York debut as assistant stage manager, ensemble member and understudy in Evans' "G.I." Hamlet; his years as a stage manager, including the threat to his job at the American Shakespeare Festival in Connecticut after he was called before the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee; how he met and came to work with Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, a tenure that included the construction of the "temporary" Delacorte Theatre, the opening of The Public Theater on Astor Place with the original Hair, and the phenomenal success of A Chorus Line; his work with Frances Ford Coppola on four films, including the oft-discussed but little seen One From the Heart; how he signed on at the inception of Lincoln Center Theater in 1985 when the Vivian Beaumont was thought to be a highly undesirable venue; and his role in the selection of Andre Bishop as LCT's artistic director upon the departure of Gregory Mosher in 1991.

Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater, takes listeners on a highly condensed tour of his 60-year career in the theatre, including his joining Maurice Evans' US Army Special Services Unit while stationed on Hawaii during World War II; his subsequent New York debut as assistant stage manager, ensemble member and understudy in Evans' "G.I." "Hamlet"; his years as a stage manager, including the threat to his job at the American Shakespeare Festival in Connecticut after he was called before the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee; how he met and came to work with Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, a tenure that included the construction of the "temporary" Delacorte Theatre, the opening of The Public Theater on Astor Place with the original "Hair", and the phenomenal success of "A Chorus Line"; his work with Frances Ford Coppola on four films, including the oft-discussed but little seen "One From the Heart"; how he signed on at the inception of Lincoln Center Theater in 1985 when the Vivian Beaumont was thought to be a highly undesirable venue; and his role in the selection of Andre Bishop as LCT's artistic director upon the departure of Gregory Mosher in 1991. Original air date - December 21, 2009.

Producer/Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater André Bishop, Marketing Director and Director of Special Projects for Lincoln Center Theater Thomas Cott, Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater Bernard Gersten, director/choreographer Susan Stroman and playwright John Weidman discuss the Tony Award winning "Contact"; from Lincoln Center Theater's invitation to Stroman and Weidman to develop their original ideas, how the individual stories are connected, multiple workshops, the casting process, using pre-existing recorded music versus live musicians, deciding on the show's name, as well as producing for non-commercial theatre with a longstanding member base.

Producer/Artistic Director André Bishop and Executive Producer Bernard Gersten of Lincoln Center Theater , Marketing Director and Director of Special Projects for Lincoln Center Theater (whose tenure as Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater has scored them numerous Tony Awards including the recent revival of South Pacific, Coast of Utopia and Contact), Thomas Cott, Executive Producer of Lincoln Center Theater Bernard Gersten, five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman (for Crazy for You, Showboat, Contact, and 2 awards for The Producers) and playwright John Weidman discuss the Tony Award winning Contact; from Lincoln Center Theater's invitation to Stroman and Weidman to develop their original ideas, how the individual stories are connected, multiple workshops, the casting process, using pre-existing recorded music versus live musicians, deciding on the show's name, as well as producing for non-commercial theatre with a longstanding member base.

With three of New York's major not-for-profit theatres now producing in Broadway venues, their leaders—Andre Bishop and Bernard Gersten of Lincoln Center Theatre, Lynne Meadow and Barry Grove of Manhattan Theatre Club, and Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard and Julia C. Levy of Roundabout Theatre Company—gather for the very first time to explore the issues facing institutional theatres on Broadway.

With three of New York's major not-for-profit theatres now producing in Broadway venues, their leaders—André Bishop and Bernard Gersten of Lincoln Center Theatre (with their most recent Tony Award coming with their revival of South Pacific), Lynne Meadow and Barry Grove of Manhattan Theatre Club (with multiple Tony wins for the organization), and Todd Haimes (who has scored multiple Tonys while serving as Artistic Director), along Ellen Richard and Julia C. Levy of Roundabout Theatre Company—gather for the very first time to explore the issues facing institutional theatres on Broadway.