Second Annual TEDxBroadway Conference Held Jan. 28; Thomas Schumacher, George Takei, Daryl Roth Among Speakers

By Michael Gioia
28 Jan 2013

Disney's Thomas Schumacher
Disney's Thomas Schumacher

The second annual TEDxBroadway, a day-long event where artists come together to discuss the future of Broadway, is held Jan. 28 from 11 AM-6 PM at New World Stages. 

TEDxBroadway, according to press notes, "will begin where the sold-out 2012 TEDxBroadway left off, bringing together some of the most passionate and influential people in academics, entertainment, marketing, and media to answer the question: 'What's the best that Broadway can be — on stage, in the community, and throughout the world?'"

"TEDxBroadway invites everyone who has a stake in Broadway, a neighborhood of New York City, to participate in shaping its future," said Jim McCarthy, CEO of Goldstar and an organizer of the event, in an earlier statement. "Our goal is to present speakers who inspire ideas, conversations and growth."

The event features presentations by artists, entrepreneurs, non-profit theatre executives and business experts. Read the Playbill.com feature on the conference. 

The lineup of speakers includes "Millionaires" magician Steve Cohen; Erin Hoover, vice president of design for Westin and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts; Vincent Gassetto, visionary principal of NY's M.S. 34; Zachary A. Schmahl, CEO and cookie master of Schmackary's Cookies; attorney Bernard M. Plum; Susan Reilly Salgado, Ph.D., founder of Hospitality Quotient with Danny Meyer; playwright Kristoffer Diaz, actor George Takei; producer Daryl Roth; all-female cello-driven band Rasputina; David Sabel, head of digital media for the National Theatre of Great Britain; Ellen Isaacs, ethnographer and user experience designer at Palo Alto Research Center; Adam Thurman, president, mission paradox, director of marketing and communications for Court Theatre in Chicago; Seth Pinsky, president of NYC's Economic Development Corporation; Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Group; Randi Zuckerberg, founder of Zuckerberg Media; Terry Teachout, drama critic at the Wall Street Journal; Christine Jones, artistic director of Theatre for One; and Josh Harris, founder of the internet radio/television network Pseudo Programs, Inc.

"Broadway is about more than theatre as a genre and today's hottest shows. There's an ecosystem that has far-reaching impact on the entire world," Broadway producer Ken Davenport said in a statement. "We were encouraged from last year's TEDxBroadway attendees to keep this discussion going to examine other influences, new opportunities and add fresh perspectives."

TEDxBroadway, an event licensed by TED, is co-organized by Damian Bazadona, founder of Situation Interactive; producer Davenport; and McCarthy of Goldstar.

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown. For more information, visit ted.com.

New World Stages is located at 340 West 50th Street. For more information, visit TEDxBroadway.com. For tickets, priced $100, visit Goldstar.com/TedxBroadway.