Welcome!
Hi! My name is Lauren Katz and I’m currently an intern at Broadway Plus VIP Services. I’m extremely excited to be kicking off this NEW blog series for the NEW website!
WHO AM I?
I’m Lauren Katz and I’m a rising junior at Northwestern University. I am double majoring in Theatre and English and receiving a certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications. At Northwestern, I’m the Marketing Chair of my a cappella group, Extreme Measures, and I was the co-creator of Northwestern’s 88th Annual Waa-Mu Show, America’s largest student written full-length musical, which was entitled For the Record. Ever since I saw my first Broadway show, The Lion King, with my grandmother when I was eight years old, musical theatre has been a guiding force in my life and I’m so excited to share this passion with all of you!
In this first blog post for The Plus Side, I will provide an overall introduction into the world of Broadway Plus VIP Services by touching upon the mission of the company, the people that make it run, and a brief rundown of the experiences that have been had so far this year!
That being said…
WHAT IS BROADWAY PLUS?
The mission of Broadway Plus VIP Services is to provide theater lovers with an unparalleled platform to experience the magic of Broadway. Broadway Plus partners with productions, serving as a streamlined and efficient service that coordinates and promotes VIP packages in their theater. These packages bundle the best seats in the theater with exclusive experiences, such as a backstage tour or a meet-and-greet with the cast. They also often include beverages in the theater, a gift bag of show merchandise, and a donation to the charity of the show’s choice. The team of Broadway Plus is made up of avid theatre fans and enjoy sharing their love for Broadway with others by bringing people closer to their favorite shows and stars!
Which brings me to…
WHO IS BROADWAY PLUS?
Nathaniel Hill is the founder and president of Broadway Plus VIP Services. Nathaniel started working in management and producing for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows in 2009. After seven years of working on shows including as Wicked, Hamilton, Next to Normal, and Ragtime, he was inspired to pursue his own idea and fill a niche in the theatre industry. Nathaniel graduated from Duke University magna cum laude, having completed the University’s first undergraduate thesis in theater producing. The first Broadway musical that he ever saw was Beauty and the Beast.
Meet Lizzy Pott, the marketing and sales associate of Broadway Plus VIP Services. Lizzy is a 2018 graduate of Duke University, where she studied English and Theatre. She absolutely LOVES Broadway!! Looking back, she would’ve loved to get this exposure and access to the world of Broadway when she was younger, as she’s always been fascinated with what goes into the making of a Broadway show. The first Broadway musical that she ever saw was The Music Man.
What have Nathaniel and Lizzy accomplished so far this year?
A LOOK AT 2019 EXPERIENCES:
Since June is now over and we are already halfway through 2019 (how did that happen so fast?!), I was very curious to see how many Broadway Plus experiences have already been fulfilled and what shows have been the most popular.
From examining all of the data up to this week, I was able to construct two pie-charts that break down the amount of people who have gone on a Broadway Plus experience so far this year.
Take a look…
2019 STATS: JANUARY 1 – JULY 14
And so…
TO WRAP IT UP:
It truly blows my mind that Broadway Plus has already impacted the lives of 389 theatre lovers this year and I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to take part in facilitating these experiences. In the mere two weeks that I’ve been an intern here, I’ve already hosted three different experiences for three different clients at three different Broadway shows.
When supervising these experiences, I get to see right before me eyes “the plus side” of this company’s mission. Since I am someone who appreciates thorough analysis and attention to detail, it is so gratifying to watch clients have the opportunity to meet an actor/actress, ask any lingering questions they might have, and learn about the intentions behind various theatrical choices.
I strongly believe that theatre has the power to bring people together and to spark much needed conversations that can ultimately influence the world in which we live in. I’m so excited to use this blog to let you all in on my experiences as an intern at Broadway Plus, but more importantly, to hopefully make you feel, think, and learn alongside myself. The sky’s the limit at Broadway Plus and I can’t wait for what’s to come!
