Jordan Roth

Jordan Roth
Roth in 2024
Born (1975-11-13) November 13, 1975 (age 48)
New York City, US
EducationPrinceton University (BA)
Columbia University (MBA)
Known forJujamcyn Theaters majority owner
Spouse
Richie Jackson
​
(m. 2012)​
Children2
Parent(s)Steven Roth
Daryl Roth

Jordan Roth (born November 13, 1975) is an American theater producer. He is the president and majority owner of Jujamcyn Theaters in New York City.[1] Roth oversees five Broadway theatres including the St. James, Al Hirschfeld, August Wilson, Eugene O'Neill, and the Walter Kerr.[2]

Early life

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Born in New York City, Roth spent his elementary years in Ridgewood, New Jersey with his parents – billionaire real estate developer Steven Roth and theater producer Daryl Roth – and older sister.[3] He returned to New York in middle school to attend the Horace Mann School.[4][5] Throughout high school he performed in plays and frequently attended Broadway shows with his mother, to whom he credits his early exposure to theater.[3]

Roth graduated with degrees in philosophy and theater from Princeton University.[6][7] He later received an MBA from Columbia Business School.[7][8]

After graduating, Roth returned to New York City.[9] In 1999, he produced The Donkey Show, an interactive A Midsummer Night's Dream set to disco music.[8] The production, a disco club event combining elements of both theater and nightlife,[4] ran for six years off Broadway, toured internationally, and ran weekly at the Oberon space of the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts[10] until 2019.[11] The show was described by The New York Times as "a lark, an exuberant and witty splicing of disparate sources."[12]

Career

[edit]

In 2001, Roth staged a musical revival of the 1975 Broadway hit, The Rocky Horror Show, which ran until 2002.[13] Through the course of the run, the cast included Dick Cavett, Joan Jett, Luke Perry, Ana Gasteyer, and a rotation of guest narrators.[14][15][16] The show was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival in 2001, five Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, and a Drama League Award.[17]

In 2005, Roth joined Jujamcyn Theaters as a resident producer. He was promoted to vice president in 2006.[18][19] In 2009, while still at Jujamcyn, he began an MBA program at Columbia University.[8] In September 2009, at age 33, he purchased a 50% ownership stake in Jujamcyn Theaters and became the company's president when Rocco Landesman, Jujamcyn's previous president and owner, was appointed by President Obama to run the National Endowment for the Arts.[20] In 2013, he acquired a majority stake in Jujamcyn, with Landesman retaining a small interest and becoming President Emeritus.[21]

Since Roth assumed the title of President, Jujamcyn Theaters has been home to productions such as the Tony Award-winning The Book of Mormon, Clybourne Park, Kinky Boots, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and Hadestown, as well as productions of A Little Night Music, Bullets Over Broadway, Something Rotten!, Present Laughter with Kevin Kline, Frozen, Mean Girls, and Moulin Rouge!.[22]

Roth has appeared on television as the Broadway correspondent to MSNBC's Morning Joe[23] and has played himself in a recurring role on the NBC television series Smash.[24][25] Roth is a haute couture collector. He journaled the Spring 2019 Paris Fashion Week for Vogue magazine.[26] The New York Times said Roth has become a "red carpet magnet" due to his "penchant for avant-garde couture."[27]

Roth hosts an interview series Broadway Talks at the 92nd Street Y, facilitating one-on-one discussions with Broadway actors.[28][29] He also produced and starred in the YouTube animated series, The Birds and the BS, a comedic series addressing American culture in the Trump era;[30] and publishes the online newsletter, Warmly Jordan.[31] Previously, Roth founded the social network website Culturalist, which aggregated "Top 10” lists from users.[32]

Awards and honors

[edit]
Jordan Roth in 2019

Roth is a four-time Tony Award winner.[33] He produced the 11-time Tony-nominated production of Angels in America, which won Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), and Best Featured Actor (Nathan Lane) in 2018.[34]

On February 2, 2019, Roth received the HRC Legacy Award, awarded by the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that raises funds in the fight for LGBT equality.[35]

Philanthropy

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In 2007, Roth created Givenik.com, a service that allowed theater-goers to buy discounted tickets and give 5% of their ticket price to the charity of their choice. Givenik.com supported over 500 charitable organizations.[36][32] As of 2020, it has ceased operations.[37]

Roth supports organizations working for the arts, the city and for LGBTQ equality.[38] He serves on the Board of Trustees for Freedom To Marry[39] and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS[40] and the Board of Governors for the Broadway League.[41] He also supports the LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention Hotline and The Trevor Project, a hotline for young people in crisis.[38]

On October 17, 2016, Roth and Harvey Weinstein collaborated to produce Broadway for Hillary, a one-night fundraiser hosted by Billy Crystal, featuring Julia Roberts, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emily Blunt, Angela Bassett, Neil Patrick Harris, and Helen Mirren.[42]

Personal life

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In June 2003, Roth met Richie Jackson, a talent manager and executive producer.[43] They married in September 2012. He is co-parent of Jackson Foo Wong, Jackson's son with his former partner, BD Wong. Roth's son with Jackson, Levi Emmanuel Roth, was born through surrogacy in 2016.[44][45]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cohen, Patricia (September 8, 2009). "Roth ups his stake in Jujamcyn". Variety.
  2. ^ "Official Jujamcyn Website". Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Celebrity Podcast". Little Known Facts. November 20, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Cohen, Patricia (September 8, 2009). "A New Force on Broadway". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "News Post". www.horace-mann.org. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  6. ^ "An Interview with Jordan Roth". Vogue.it. September 20, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Gans, Andrew (September 8, 2009). "Jordan Roth Succeeds Rocco Landesman as Jujamcyn Theaters President". Playbill. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c Kao, Joanna S. (January 23, 2017). "How a Columbia MBA took impresario Jordan Roth to the next stage". Financial Times. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  9. ^ "How Jujamcyn Theater Owner Jordan Roth Has Become an Industry Evangelist -- New York Magazine - Nymag". New York Magazine. June 4, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "The Donkey Show". A.R.T. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Simon, Clea (August 29, 2019). "Last dance, last chance". The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  12. ^ Marks, Peter (August 27, 1999). "THEATER REVIEW; They Be Foolish Mortals Who Love the Nightlife". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  13. ^ "The Rocky Horror Show, a CurtainUp review". www.curtainup.com. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  14. ^ Ehren, Christine (July 19, 2001). "Luke Perry Extends in Rocky Through Aug. 5". Playbill. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  15. ^ Winer, Linda (November 15, 2000). "Time Warp Redux / Rocky Horror is original again, on Broadway". Newsday. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  16. ^ "Rocky Horror Show Features Quirky Cast: Cavett, Jett, DeLaria". Playbill. August 22, 2000. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  17. ^ "The Rocky Horror Show Broadway @ Circle in the Square Theatre - Tickets and Discounts". Playbill. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  18. ^ "Jordan Roth to Succeed Rocco Landesman as Jujamcyn Theaters President". Broadway.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  19. ^ "40 Under 40 - Jordan Roth". Crain's New York Business. January 1, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  20. ^ Cohen, Patricia (September 8, 2009). "A New Force on Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  21. ^ Cox, Gordon (January 21, 2013). "Roth ups his stake in Jujamcyn". Variety. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  22. ^ "Jujamcyn Theaters – Broadway Organization". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  23. ^ "VIDEO: Jordan Roth Talks Broadway Box Office on Morning Joe". Backstage. March 14, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  24. ^ Jones, Kenneth (January 22, 2013). "Jordan Roth Is Now Principal Owner of Broadway's Jujamcyn Theaters". Playbill. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014.
  25. ^ Cox, Gordon (January 10, 2014). "Jordan Roth Makes Legit Moves in Digital Space". Variety. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  26. ^ "Jordan Roth: A Man's View on the Haute Couture". Vogue. January 28, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  27. ^ Paulson, Michael (June 6, 2018). "A Broadway Mogul Redefines Clout in His Own Fashion". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  28. ^ "Jordan Roth's Broadway Talks Series At 92nd Street Y Continues | Community | For The Record". www.hamptons.com. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  29. ^ "Broadway Talks with Jordan Roth". 92nd Street Y. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  30. ^ Paulson, Michael (February 8, 2018). "A Broadway Bigwig Lampoons Trump, Despite Family Ties". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  31. ^ "Subscribe to Warmly, Jordan". Warmly, Jordan. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  32. ^ a b Oxfeld, Jesse (August 2016). "A Day in the Life of Jordan Roth". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  33. ^ "Jordan Roth – Broadway Cast & Staff". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  34. ^ Nyren, Erin (June 11, 2018). "Tony Award Winners 2018: The Complete List". Variety. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  35. ^ Peters, Stephen (January 9, 2019). "HRC to Honor Amandla Stenberg and Jordan Roth at HRC NY Gala". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  36. ^ "Givenik.com". Givenik.com. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  37. ^ "Givenik". givenik.com. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  38. ^ a b "Merging his family lineages, Jordan Roth makes his own way". Reuters. June 28, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  39. ^ "The Team". Freedom To Marry. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  40. ^ "Coming Out In The Modern Age: An Interview With Broadway's Jordan Roth". Elite Daily. July 7, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  41. ^ "Board of Governors". The Broadway League. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  42. ^ "Harvey Weinstein, Jordan Roth Set Star-Studded Broadway Fundraiser for Hillary Clinton". The Hollywood Reporter. September 30, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  43. ^ Schwartz, Paula (September 14, 2012). "Weddings/Celebrations: Richie Jackson and Jordan Roth". The New York Times.
  44. ^ Roth, Jordan (July 23, 2016). "And so we begin... With overwhelming joy and intense gratitude, we welcome our son, Levi Emmanuel Roth.pic.twitter.com/6vUyemGAvc". @jordan_roth. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  45. ^ Carpenter, Lea (October 23, 2019). "For the Roth Family, Love Is About the Right to Choose Your Own Story". Town & Country. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
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