Theater Kid, cover art (detail).
Step into the world of Broadway with an extraordinary night of music, stories, and insider perspectives. Join Tony Award-winning producer and newly inducted Guild Hall Academy of the Arts member Jeffrey Seller (Hamilton, In the Heights, Rent), Broadway star Adam Pascal (Rent, Aida, Something Rotten!), and the always-entertaining Seth Rudetsky (SiriusXM’s On Broadway, Disaster!) for a one-of-a-kind experience.
Seller shares insights from his new book, Theater Kid—a heartfelt memoir tracing his journey from a young theater enthusiast to one of Broadway’s most influential producers. Through engaging conversation, he’ll reflect on the making of groundbreaking productions, with a special focus on Rent, the musical that redefined roadway and inspired a generation.
With Rudetsky moderating and at the piano and Pascal lending his legendary voice, the evening weaves behind-the-scenes revelations with thrilling live performances, offering a rare and intimate look at the artistry, passion, and magic of musical theater.
A book signing will follow the discussion with copies of Theater Kid available for purchase at the event.
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Jeffrey Seller
JEFFREY SELLER is one of the masterminds behind the Tony Award-winning musicals Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights, and Hamilton.
His shows have garnered twenty-two Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical, and his Broadway productions and tours have grossed more than $4.6 billion and reached more than 43 million attendees. Jeffrey is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent. He also revolutionized theater accessibility with the $20 ticket lottery for Rent, making theater affordable for many. This passion for accessibility underscores his belief in the power of the stage, which was his ticket out of his hometown.
Photo: Emil Cohen
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ADAM PASCAL
Adam Pascal starred as the original Roger Davis in the Off Broadway, Broadway and London Productions of RENT, for which he received a Tony award nomination. He also reprised the role in the 2005 film adaptation. He originated the role of Radames in Broadway’s Aida and he played the final Emcee in the Roundabout’s production of Cabaret. Additional Broadway credits include Huey Calhoun in Memphis, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Chad in Disaster, William Shakespeare in Something Rotten! and Edward Lewis in Pretty Woman.He can also be seen and heard as Freddie Trumper in the Royal Albert Hall production of Chess available on DVD, alongside Josh Groban and Idina Menzel. Adam has also had success as a producer in bringing the off Broadway hit Fully Committed to the stage in early 2000. Adam can be heard on multiple cast recordings and compilations and can be seen on the screen as Theo in the smash hit School of Rock, as Eddie in the cult classic SLC Punk.
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SETH RUDETSKY
SETH RUDETSKY
When Broadway shut down, Seth and his native Texan husband James Wesley started hosting the livestream “Stars In The House” which raises money for The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund). So far, they’ve raised over $1.2 million dollars and recently celebrated their three-year anniversary of the show. Before that, Seth spent many years on Broadway as a pianist and conductor as well as two years as a comedy writer on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” (three Emmy nominations with his co-writers). He is now the afternoon deejay on the Sirius-XM Broadway channel as well as the host of “Seth Speaks.” He performed his show, Deconstructing Broadway, in London, Boston (Irne award), and L.A. (with Barbra Streisand in the audience!). He co-wrote and co-starred in Disaster! (New York Times’ critics’ pick) on Broadway which was licensed by Music Theater International and is being performed around the country. He’s written the books Seth’s Broadway Diary Volume 1 and 2 (Dress Circle publishing) and has also authored two young adult novels My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan and The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek (Random House) and the just available Musical Theatre for Dummies. Seth and James co-produced the “What the World Needs Now Is Love” recording with Broadway Records (number one on iTunes) featuring amazing singers like Jessie Mueller, Carole King, Audra McDonald, Lin-Manuel Miranda and so many more to help the victims and families of the Orlando Pulse Nightclub Shooting. He and James also produce and host the yearly “Voices for the Voiceless” concert to benefit You Gotta Believe which helps older foster kids find families (stars have included Tina Fey and Megan Hilty) as well as producing/hosting 13 Concert For America benefits which help non-profits like National Immigration Law Center and MAACP (stars have included Barry Manilow and Chita Rivera). James and Seth run “Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Cruise” which brings Broadway stars and Broadway lovers together to fabulous destinations! You can learn more about Seth’s cruises and watch his videos at SethRudetsky.com
Photo: Marc J. Franklin
Sponsors
Performing Arts programming is supported in part by funding from Galia Meiri-Stawski and Axel Stawski, Henry and Peggy Schleiff, The Melville Straus Family Endowment, and Monica and Peter Tessler. Music Programming is supported in part by The Ellen and James S. Marcus Endowment for Musical Programming.
Additional support provided by Friends of the Theater: John and Joan D’Addario, Natascia Ayers and Jim Ciquera, Christine and Bill Campbell, Gabrielle and Gianpaolo de Felice, Lena Kaplan, Hilarie and Mitchell Morgan, Michèle and Steve Pesner, The Schaffner Family Foundation, Lisa Schultz and Ezriel Kornel, Jayne Baron Sherman and Deborah Zum, Stacey and Oliver Stanton, Leila Straus, Susi and Peter Wunsch, and Andrew Yuder and Kyle Glaeser.