Rothenberg represented his first Broadway show in 1961. Among the attractions he trumpeted were Beyond the Fringe, An Evening with Maurice Chevalier, the original Cabaret, the Richard Burton Hamlet, Hair and Zorba. His longest professional association was with producer Alexander H. Cohen, for whom he publicized The Herbal Bed, Waiting in the Wings, Taking Sides and many other shows. Among the stories audiences should expect to hear is that of the pre-Broadway tryout of Hamlet in Boston. Set to meet Burton and his wife Elizabeth Tailor at Logan Airport, Rothenberg encountered a mob of fanatical fans and a disbelieving police force. He introduced himself as Hamlet's representative. The cop answered with a punch in the stomach. Rothenberg woke up in the airport's first aid room.
Later, Rothenberg did the punching. During the Broadway run, colleagues asked how he handled all the press requests for interviews with Burton. He said, "Simple. You pick up the phone and say no." Admission is $20. Fortune Academy is located at 140th Street and Riverside Drive in Manhattan. Call (212) 255-4834.