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John Gore Organization

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Key Brand Entertainment, Inc. (KBE) is the leading developer, producer, and distributor of live theatre in North America. KBE was founded in 2008 by entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath, who is KBE's Chairman and UK theater producer John Gore who is the company's CEO. KBE continues to build on its significant expertise and geographic reach to broaden its production platform while simultaneously bringing Broadway and the West End’s biggest hits to North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, as well as emerging theater markets.[1]

KBE’s key assets include Broadway Across America (BAA), the largest Broadway theater touring organization in North America, six owned/operated theatres in Boston, Baltimore, and Minneapolis, and other theater related businesses. In November 2010 Key Brand Acquired the New York and web-based ticket seller Broadway.com.[2]

Key Brand Entertainment Executives

Thomas B. McGrath, Chairman (KBE)
John Gore, Chief Executive Officer (KBE)
Beth Williams, Chief Operating Officer (KBE)
Paul Dietz, Chief Financial Officer
Liam Lynch, Executive Vice President, Interactive Group (KBE)
Seth Popper, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Head of Business Affairs (KBE)
Kumiko Yoshii, Executive Vice President, Head of International Business Development (KBE)

Early History

Key Brand is a successor in interest to a number of prior theatrical production and distribution companies acquired through acquisition and/or merger. These include: Livent, Clear Channel Entertainment, PACE Theatrical Group, Magicworks and others. As such it retains interests in a large number of Broadway productions and various related rights. The company was amalgamated into Broadway Across America under Clear Channel Communication's ownership. The credits shown below for "Broadway Across America" date only from the time the entity was acquired by Key Brand on January 23, 2008 for an announced price of $90.4 million. The company was financed by the Aramid Entertainment Fund and JP Morgan with equity investors including the management, Tokyo Broadcasting Systems (Japan); Lawson Entermedia (Japan) and Canadian theater producer Dancap Productions.[3]

Broadway Across America became a business unit of Live Nation, Inc. following the spin-off of Live Nation from Clear Channel Communications on December 25, 2005.[4] Clear Channel acquired the assets of Live Nation, which principally consisted of live concert venues and ampitheaters devoted primarily to rock 'n roll music, in a $4.4bn transaction in February of 2000. [5] Clear Channel acquired the company under the name SFX Entertainment which was owned primarilly by Robert F.X. Sillerman. At the time, Clear Channel paid $3.3bn in stock and assumed $1.1bn in debt. [6]

SFX Entertainment in turn was founded by Sillerman in order to "roll up" businesses associated with live entertainment, principally rock 'n roll music. He began by acquiring Delsner/Slater Concerts in 1996 and a number of acquisitions followed rapidly thereafter. Sillerman's entry into theater begain with the acquisition of PACE Theatrical Group in October 1997 for $150 million. [7]In September of 1998 with they acquired Magicworks Entertainment, Inc. for approximately $118 million[8]. This Miami-based company promoted concerts and managed touring events such as magician David Copperfield and musicals Jekyll & Hyde and Evita. It had been a partner of PACE unit PACE Theatricals for some time. (PACE in turn was controlled by Texas-based theater veteran Allen Becker) Also acquired was production company American Artists, which controlled several theaters in the Boston area including the historic Colonial Theater. Magicworks had been controlled by Lee D. Marshall and Joe Marsh (Lee and Marsh later reunited in the company Magic Arts & Entertainment). The summer of 1999 saw court approval granted for the $96 million purchase of the bankrupt Livent (then controlled by Canadian entrepeneur Garth Drabinsky), a deal that had been initiated a year earlier. Livent, once one of the premier theatrical production companies, owned such touring shows as Ragtime and Fosse, as well as a number of venues in Canada and the United States. Its bankruptcy had been attributed to widespread accounting fraud. [9] In early 2000 SFX acquired Jujamcyn Productions of Minneapolis, a touring theatrical production company. SFX already owned half of Jujamcyn, acquired through PACE Entertainment.

In addition to the above companies and assets, SFX also acquired (and therefor sold to Clear Channel) a large number of theatrical and other venues in the UK from Apollo Leisure Group. These assets were similarly spun off to Live nation which then sold them in an unrelated transaction to Exponent Capital. Exponent is a UK-based private equity fund which acquired at the same time the assets and operations of the Ambassador Theater Group.[10]

Awards[11][12]

As Broadway Across America:

  • Memphis 2010 Tony Award for Best New Musical; Drama Desk Award
  • La Cage Aux Folles 2010 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical; Drama Desk Award
  • Hair 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical; Drama Desk Award
  • Boeing-Boeing 2008 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play; Drama Desk Award
  • Spring Awakening 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical in London
  • Passing Strange 2009 Drama Desk Award for Best New Play

Previously and under different names:

  • Spamalot 2005 Tony Award for Best New Musical (as Clear Channel)
  • Hairspray 2003 Tony Award for Best New Musical (as Clear Channel)
  • The Producers 2002 Tony Award for Best New Musical (as Clear Channel)
  • Fosse 1999 Tony Award for Best New Musical (as Livent)
  • Chicago 1997 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical (as Pace Theatrical)
  • Showboat 1995 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical (as Livent)
  • Kiss of the Spiderwoman 1993 Tony Award for Best New Musical (as Livent)
  • Fiddler on the Roof 1991 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical (as Pace Theatrical)
  • Gypsy 1990 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical (as Pace Theatrical)
  • Jerome Robbins Broadway 1989 Tony Award for Best New Musical (as Pace Theatrical)

Broadway Across America Theater Credits on Broadway[13]

  • How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Mar 27, 2011
  • Priscilla, Queen of the Desert [Original, Musical] Mar 20, 2011 - Present
  • The Merchant of Venice [Revival, Play, Comedy] Nov 13, 2010 - Feb 20, 2011
  • The Scottsboro Boys [Original, Musical, Drama] Oct 31, 2010 - Dec 12, 2010
  • Harry Connick, Jr. in Concert on Broadway [Original, Special, Concert, Solo] Jul 15, 2010 - Jul 31, 2010
  • Promises, Promises [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Apr 25, 2010 - Jan 2, 2011
  • La Cage aux Folles [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Apr 18, 2010 - Present
  • Million Dollar Quartet [Original, Musical] Apr 11, 2010 - Present
  • Lend Me a Tenor [Revival, Play, Comedy, Farce] Apr 4, 2010 - Aug 15, 2010
  • A View From the Bridge [Revival, Play, Drama] Jan 24, 2010 - Apr 4, 2010
  • A Little Night Music [Revival, Musical, Romantic Comedy] Dec 13, 2009 - Jan 9, 2011
  • Irving Berlin's White Christmas [Original, Musical, Comedy] Nov 22, 2009 - Jan 3, 2010
  • Memphis [Original, Musical] Oct 19, 2009 - Present
  • Desire Under the Elms [Revival, Play, Drama] Apr 27, 2009 - May 24, 2009
  • Hair [Revival, Musical] Mar 31, 2009 - Jun 27, 2010
  • Impressionism [Original, Play, Drama] Mar 24, 2009 - May 10, 2009
  • West Side Story [Revival, Musical, Drama] Mar 19, 2009 - Jan 2, 2011
  • Blithe Spirit [Revival, Play, Comedy, Farce] Mar 15, 2009 - Jul 19, 2009
  • Irving Berlin's White Christmas [Original, Musical, Comedy] Nov 23, 2008 - Jan 4, 2009
  • 13 [Original, Musical, Comedy] Oct 5, 2008 - Jan 4, 2009
  • Cirque Dreams [Original, Special, Circus] Jun 26, 2008 - Aug 24, 2008
  • Boeing-Boeing [Revival, Play, Comedy] May 4, 2008 - Jan 4, 2009
  • A Catered Affair [Original, Musical] Apr 17, 2008 - Jul 27, 2008
  • Passing Strange [Original, Musical, All Black Cast] Feb 28, 2008 - Jul 20, 2008

Broadway Across America Theatre Credits in the London West End

  • Million Dollar Quartet March 2011
  • Sweet Charity (Haymarket Theatre) 2010
  • Hair 2010
  • Spring Awakening 2009 (Olivier Award for Best New Musical)

Broadway Across America Theatre Credits in Tokyo, Japan

  • A Chorus Line in Assoc. with Tokyo Broadcasting; August 12 - September 30, 2009
  • Xanadu in Assoc. with Tokyo Broadcasting; May 9 -31, 2009
  • Dreamgirls in Assoc. with Tokyo Broadcasting; May 22 - June 4, 2010

As Clear Channel Entertainment: Broadway Theatre Credits[14]

  • The Woman in White [Original, Musical, Drama] Nov 17, 2005 - Feb 19, 2006
  • Lennon [Original, Musical] Aug 14, 2005 - Sep 24, 2005
  • Sweet Charity [Revival, Musical, Comedy] May 4, 2005 - Dec 31, 2005
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang [Original, Musical, Comedy] Apr 28, 2005 - Dec 31, 2005
  • All Shook Up [Original, Musical] Mar 24, 2005 - Sep 25, 2005
  • Spamalot [Original, Musical, Comedy] Mar 17, 2005 - Jan 11, 2009
  • Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [Original, Musical, Comedy] Mar 3, 2005 - Sep 3, 2006
  • La Cage aux Folles [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Dec 9, 2004 - Jun 26, 2005
  • 700 Sundays [Original, Play, Solo] Dec 5, 2004 - Jun 12, 2005
  • Dracula, the Musical [Original, Musical, Drama, Romance] Aug 19, 2004 - Jan 2, 2005
  • Caroline, or Change [Original, Musical, Drama] May 2, 2004 - Aug 29, 2004
  • Fiddler on the Roof [Revival, Musical, Comedy, Drama] Feb 26, 2004 - Jan 8, 2006
  • Wonderful Town [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Nov 23, 2003 - Jan 30, 2005
  • Little Shop of Horrors [Original, Musical, Comedy, Puppets] Oct 2, 2003 - Aug 22, 2004
  • The Look of Love [Original, Musical, Revue] May 4, 2003 - Jun 15, 2003
  • Dance of the Vampires [Original, Musical, Comedy] Dec 9, 2002 - Jan 25, 2003
  • Movin' Out [Original, Musical, Dance] Oct 24, 2002 - Dec 11, 2005
  • Hairspray [Original, Musical, Comedy] Aug 15, 2002 - Jan 4, 2009
  • Thoroughly Modern Millie [Original, Musical, Comedy] Apr 18, 2002 - Jun 20, 2004
  • The Graduate [Original, Play, Comedy] Apr 4, 2002 - Mar 2, 2003
  • Sweet Smell of Success [Original, Musical, Drama] Mar 14, 2002 - Jun 15, 2002
  • The Crucible [Revival, Play, Drama] Mar 7, 2002 - Jun 9, 2002
  • Linda Eder at the Gershwin [Original, Special, Concert] Dec 26, 2001 - Dec 30, 2001
  • 42nd Street [Revival, Musical, Comedy] May 2, 2001 - Jan 2, 2005
  • The Producers [Original, Musical, Comedy] Apr 19, 2001 - Apr 22, 2007
  • Seussical [Original, Musical, Comedy] Nov 30, 2000 - May 20, 2001
  • Macbeth [Revival, Play, Tragedy] Jun 15, 2000 - Jun 25, 2000
  • Jesus Christ Superstar [Revival, Musical, Drama] Apr 16, 2000 - Sep 3, 2000
  • Amadeus [Revival, Play, Drama] Dec 15, 1999 - May 14, 2000

As Pace Theatrical Group: Broadway Theatre Credits

  • Swing! [Original, Musical, Dance, Revue] Dec 9, 1999 - Jan 14, 2001
  • The Civil War [Original, Musical] Apr 22, 1999 - Jun 13, 1999
  • Death of a Salesman [Revival, Play, Drama] Feb 10, 1999 - Nov 7, 1999
  • An Evening with Jerry Herman [Original, Musical, Revue] Jul 28, 1998 - Aug 23, 1998
  • The Sound of Music [Revival, Musical, Drama] Mar 12, 1998 - Jun 20, 1999
  • Triumph of Love [Original, Musical] Oct 23, 1997 - Jan 4, 1998
  • Jekyll & Hyde [Original, Musical, Drama] Apr 28, 1997 - Jan 7, 2001
  • Steel Pier [Original, Musical] Apr 24, 1997 - Jun 28, 1997
  • David Copperfield: Dreams and Nightmares [Original, Special] Dec 5, 1996 - Dec 29, 1996
  • Chicago [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Nov 14, 1996 - Present
  • Hello, Dolly! [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Oct 19, 1995 - Jan 28, 1996
  • Grease [Revival, Musical, Comedy] May 11, 1994 - Jan 25, 1998
  • The Rise and Fall of Little Voice [Original, Play] May 1, 1994 - May 8, 1994
  • My Fair Lady [Revival, Musical, Comedy, Romantic Comedy] Dec 9, 1993 - May 1, 1994
  • The Who's Tommy [Original, Musical] Apr 22, 1993 - Jun 17, 1995
  • Fiddler on the Roof [Revival, Musical, Comedy, Drama] Nov 18, 1990 - Jun 16, 1991
  • Gypsy [Revival, Musical, Drama] Nov 16, 1989 - Jul 28, 1991
  • Jerome Robbins' Broadway [Original, Musical, Revue, Dance] Feb 26, 1989 - Sep 1, 1990
  • Long Day's Journey Into Night [Revival, Play, Drama] Apr 28, 1986 - Jun 29, 1986

As Livent: Broadway Theatre Credits[15]

  • Fosse [Original, Musical, Revue, Dance] Jan 14, 1999 - Aug 25, 200
  • Parade [Original, Musical, Drama] Dec 17, 1998 - Feb 28, 1999
  • Ragtime [Original, Musical, Drama] Jan 18, 1998 - Jan 16, 2000
  • Candide [Revival, Musical, Comedy] Apr 29, 1997 - Jul 27, 1
  • Something Wonderful [Original, Special, Concert, Tribute] Jul 12, 1995 - Jul 12, 1995
  • Show Boat [Revival, Musical, Drama] Oct 2, 1994 - Jan 5, 1997
  • Kiss of the Spider Woman [Original, Musical, Drama] May 3, 1993 - Jul 1, 1995

As Magicworks: Broadway Theatre Credits[16]

  • The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm [Original, Musical, Revue] Apr 25, 1999 - May 9, 1999
  • An Evening with Jerry Herman [Original, Musical, Revue] Jul 28, 1998 - Aug 23, 1998
  • Jekyll & Hyde [Original, Musical, Drama] Apr 28, 1997 - Jan 7, 2001
  • David Copperfield: Dreams and Nightmares [Original, Special] Dec 5, 1996 - Dec 29, 1996

Touring Markets Served by Broadway Across America[17]

US Cities
Appleton Fox Cities Fort Lauderdale Milwaukee Pittsburgh
Atlanta Houston Miami Portland
Austin Indianapolis Minneapolis Salt Lake City
Baltimore Jacksonville New Orleans San Antonio
Boston Kansas City Norfolk Seattle
Cincinnati Louisville Omaha Tempe
Columbus Madison Orlando Washington, DC
Costa Mesa
Canadian Cities
Calgary Edmonton Montreal Ottowa
Regina Saskatoon Vancouver Winnepeg

Theaters

Key Brand owns or directly controls through agreement(s) the following theaters:

  • Historic Theater Group (Minneapolis)
- Orpheum
- State
- Pantages
  • Charles Theater (Boston)
  • Colonial Theater (Boston)
  • Boston Opera House
  • Hippodrome Performing Arts Center (Baltimore)

References

  1. ^ Key Brand Entertainment Acquires Live Nation Touring Assets Playbill
  2. ^ Key Brand Entertainment Acquires Broadway.com Playbill
  3. ^ Live Nation Sells Off Theater Division; Variety January 24, 2008
  4. ^ Clear Channel Spins Off Live Nation
  5. ^ SFX Sells to Clear Channel
  6. ^ SFX Sells to Clear Channel
  7. ^ Billboard Magazine, October 24, 1998 page 8, "SFX Hit With Contract Suit"
  8. ^ Magicworks Founders Reunited
  9. ^ SFX Corporate History
  10. ^ Exponent Takes Majority Stake in Ambassador Theatres
  11. ^ Broadway World Tony Awards Database
  12. ^ Drama Desk Awards Database
  13. ^ Broadway Across America Internet Broadway Data Base
  14. ^ Clear Channel Internet Data Base
  15. ^ Livent Internet Broadway Data Base
  16. ^ Magicworks Internet Broadway Data Base
  17. ^ Broadway Across America
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