John Gore Organization: Difference between revisions

| name = John Gore Organization

| image = John Gore Organization Logo.png

| type = [[Theatre|Theatre company]]

| owner = [[John Gore (theatre producer)|John Gore]]

The '''John Gore Organization (JGO)''', formerly known as '''Key Brand Entertainment (KBE)''', is a producer and distributor of live theater in [[North America]], as well as an e-commerce company, focused on theater. KBE was founded in the UK in 2004 by 14-time Tony Award -winning Producer<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/john-gore-478700 |title=John Gore - Broadway Cast & Staff |website=IBDB }}</ref> [[John Gore (theatre producer)|John Gore]] who is the company's Chairman, CEO and Owner.

The company is a successor to a number of theatrical production and distribution companies acquired through acquisition or merger. These include: [[Livent]],<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://articleswww.latimes.com/1999archives/la-xpm-1999-jun/-02/news/-nc-43417-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |title=SFX Entertainment to Acquire Livent Assets |date=June 2, 1999 |agency=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref> [[Live Nation Entertainment|Clear Channel Entertainment]], PACE Theatrical Group,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://theater.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/theater/01robe.html |title=A Force in Touring Hits the End of the Road |first=Cambell |last=Robertson |date=April 1, 2007 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Magicworks, and others.<ref name="Sun-Sentinel 1998-08-08">{{cite news |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-08-08/business/9808070444_1_sfx-entertainment-magicworks-entertainment-trading |title=Magicworks Is Sold |date=August 8, 1998 |newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |location=Ft. Lauderdale}}</ref> As such it retains interests in a large number ofnumerous Broadway productions and various related rights. The company was amalgamated into Broadway Across America under Clear Channel Communication's ownership.<ref name="Cox 2008-01-24" /><ref name="Jones 2008-01-24" /><ref name="Robertson 2008-01-25" /><ref name="Smith 2008-01-28" />

SFX Entertainment, in turn, was founded by Sillerman in order to "roll up" businesses associated with live entertainment, principally rock music. He began by acquiring Delsner/Slater Concerts in 1996 and a number of acquisitions followed rapidly thereafter. Sillerman's entry into theater began with the acquisition of PACE Theatrical Group in October 1997.<ref>{{cite news |journal=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=October 24, 1998 |page=8 |title=SFX Hit With Contract Suit }}</ref> In September 1998, SFX acquired Magicworks Entertainment, Inc.<ref name="Sun-Sentinel 1998-08-08"/><ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Magic+is+Back!+Marshall+and+Marsh%2c+Magicworks+Entertainment...-a091052541 The Magic is Back! Marshall and Marsh, Magicworks Entertainment Founders, Reunite as Magic Arts & Entertainment, Inc.], BUSINESS WIRE, September 4, 2002 {{deadWebarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016055002/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Magic+is+Back!+Marshall+and+Marsh%2c+Magicworks+Entertainment...-a091052541 link|date=JanuaryOctober 16, 2014 2021}}</ref> This Miami-based company promoted concerts and managed touring events such as magician [[David Copperfield (illusionist)|David Copperfield]] and musicals ''[[Jekyll & Hyde (musical)|Jekyll & Hyde]]'' and ''[[Evita (musical)|Evita]]''. It had been a partner of PACE unit PACE Theatricals for some time. PACE, in turn, was controlled by Texas-based theater veteran Allen Becker.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/content/pace-earth |title= Pace on Earth |first=Alexandra |last=Biesada |date=December 1996 |journal=[[Texas Monthly]]}}</ref> Also acquired was production company American Artists, which controlled several theaters in the Boston area including the historic Colonial Theater.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117479371 |title=Bound for Boston: SFX subsidiary gains legit house American Artists |first=Markland |last=Taylor |date=August 11, 1998 |journal=Variety}}</ref> Magicworks had been controlled by Lee D. Marshall and Joe Marsh (Lee and Marsh later reunited in the company Magic Arts & Entertainment). The summer of 1999 saw court approval granted for a purchase of the bankrupt Livent (then controlled by Canadian entrepreneur Garth Drabinsky and CAA founder Mike Ovitz), a deal that had been initiated a year earlier. Livent, once one of the premier theatrical production companies, owned such touring shows as ''[[Ragtime (musical)|Ragtime]]'' and ''Fosse'', as well as a number of venues in Canada and the United States. Its bankruptcy had been attributed to widespread accounting fraud.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/SFX-Entertainment-Inc-Company-History.html| title=SFX Corporate History| website=Funding Universe| access-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref> In early 2000 SFX acquired Jujamcyn Productions of Minneapolis, a touring theatrical production company. SFX already owned half of Jujamcyn, acquired through PACE Entertainment.<ref>{{cite news |title=Twin Cities-based show producer Jujamcyn is sold to N.Y. giant SFX |date=May 11, 2000 |newspaper=[[Star Tribune]] |location=Minneapolis |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MN&p_theme=mn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EFCCE3E173A4956&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM| via=[[NewsBank]]}}</ref>

In December of 2020, individuals who purchased their tickets from a John Gore Organization platform, including Broadway.com and Broadway Across America were given the option to donate the value of their unused tickets to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Huston|first=Caitlin|date=2020-12-04|title=Broadway Across America, ticket buyers donate $1 million to Broadway Cares|url=https://broadwaynews.com/2020/12/04/broadway-across-america-ticket-buyers-donate-1-million-to-broadway-cares/|access-date=2021-04-17|website=Broadway News|language=en-US}}</ref>, as an effort to offer relief for shows and theater fans affected by the cancellation of events forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, raising more than $2.6 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=viapiuser|date=2019-07-11|title=John Gore|url=https://variety.com/exec/john-gore/|access-date=2021-04-17|website=Variety|language=en}}</ref>.

* [[Broadway Across America]] (BAA) a major theater touring organization in North America acquired in 2008.<ref name="Cox 2008-01-24">{{cite news |first=Gordon |last=Cox |date=January 24, 2008 |title=Live Nation sells off theater division |url= https://variety.com/2008/legit/news/live-nation-sells-off-theater-division-1117979556/ |journal=Variety}}</ref><ref name="Jones 2008-01-24">{{cite news |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114555-Key-Brand-Entertainment-Acquires-Live-Nation-Tour-Markets-Plans-to-Nurture-New-Work |title=Key Brand Entertainment Acquires Live Nation Tour Markets, Plans to Nurture New Work |journal=[[Playbill]] |date=January 24, 2008 |first=Kenneth |last=Jones |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706083538/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114555-Key-Brand-Entertainment-Acquires-Live-Nation-Tour-Markets-Plans-to-Nurture-New-Work |archive-date=July 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Robertson 2008-01-25">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/theater/25Live.html?_r=1&oref=slogin |title=Live Nation Finds a Buyer for its Theater Business |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 25, 2008 |first=Campbell |last=Robertson |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="Smith 2008-01-28">{{cite news |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/19645/live-nation-theatrical-business-sale |title=Live Nation theatrical business sale finalised |newspaper=[[The Stage]] |date=January 28, 2008 |first=Alistair |last=Smith}}</ref> With over 400,000 season subscribers,<ref>{{cite news |first=Gordon |last=Cox |url=https://variety.com/2017/legit/news/broadway-across-america-season-subscriptions-high-1202541795/ |title=Broadway Across America Season Subscriptions Hit Record High |newspaper=Variety |date=September 5, 2017}}</ref> BAA has earned 215248 Tony Awards in over 3035 years of producing and investing in Broadway shows.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> BAA owns and/or operates five theaters in Boston, Baltimore, and Minneapolis.<ref>{{Cite web|title=John Gore – Broadway Cast & Staff {{!}} IBDB|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/john-gore-478700|access-date=2021-07-08|website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref>

* GroupThe SalesBroadway Box OfficeChannel, mergeda withvideo Broadway.com/Groupscontent brand acquired in 20122015.<ref>{{cite journalnews |first=Gordon |last=Cox |url=https://www.broadwayvariety.com/buzz2015/161416legit/news/broadwaycom-and-broadway-acrosschannel-americakey-groupbrand-salesacquisition-merge-with-group-sales-box-office1201445575 |title=and Broadway AcrossChannel AmericaAcquired Groupby SalesKey MergeBrand with Group Sales Box OfficeEntertainment |websitenewspaper=Broadway.comVariety |date=AprilMarch 244, 20122015}}</ref>

Philanthropically, JGO has supported The Arthur Miller Foundation with a grant to provide theater educators in NYC Public Schools.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://arthurmillerfoundation.org/arthur-miller-theater-education-program-kick-off-celebration/ |title=Arthur Miller Theater Education Program Kick-Off Celebration |website=Arthur Miller Foundation |date=October 5, 2017}}</ref> In 2017, JGO raised $500,000 for [[Hurricane Maria]] relief in Puerto Rico by producing a benefit performance of Thornton Wilder’s ''[[Our Town]]'' starring [[Scarlett Johansson]], [[Robert Downey Jr.]] and [[Chris Evans (actor)|Chris Evans]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Campbell |first=Christopher |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/11/avengers-cast-our-town-reading |title=Inside the Avengers Cast's One-Night-Only Performance of Our Town |journal=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |date=November 7, 2017}}</ref> It was announced in September 2018 that JGO pledged $100,000 to the T. Fellowship at [[Columbia University]], a program that fosters new creative producers.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://arts.columbia.edu/news/john-gore-organization-pledges-100k-t-fellowship-columbia-university |title=John Gore Organization Pledges 100K to the T. Fellowship with Columbia University |publisher=Columbia School of the Arts |date=September 28, 2018}}</ref> In April 2021, the John Gore Organization became a founding partner in The Theatre Leadership Project to train and mentor a new generation of Black theater industry leaders.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Evans|first=Greg|date=2021-04-28|title=Broadway Producers Launch Fellowship Program For New Generation Of Black Leadership|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/broadway-producers-black-bipoc-theatre-leadership-project-fellowship-program-1234744799/|access-date=2021-06-29|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref> In January 2022, JGO launched the Black Theatre Coalition/Broadway Across America Fellowship program, the first national Broadway fellowship program designed to provide an introduction to the Broadway industry for aspiring BIPOC theater professionals.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Black Theatre Coalition Announces Inaugural Semester of Broadway Across America Fellows|url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/201778/black-theatre-coalition-announces-inaugural-semester-of-broadway-across-america-fellows/|access-date=2022-01-26|website=Broadway.com|language=en}}</ref>

As the John Gore Organization, the company was awarded several awards including Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, :<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://broadwayworld.com/tonyawardsshowinfo.cfm?showname=Chicago |title=Chicago Tony Awards Info |journal=Broadwau World}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dramadesk.com/history.html |archive-url=https://archive.istoday/20080518085649/http://www.dramadesk.com/history.html |archive-date=SeptemberMay 2818, 20132008 |title=History |website=Drama Desk Awards |access-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=The John Gore Organization – Broadway Organization {{!}} IBDB|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-organization/the-john-gore-organization-510424#Awards|access-date=2021-05-11|website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=John Gore - Broadway Cast and Staff Awards|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/john-gore-478700#Awards|website=IBDB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=NY Emmy Award Recipients|url=https://www.nyemmys.org/2021-ny-emmy-award-recipients/|website=NY EMMY}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=NY Emmy Award Recipients Press Release|url=https://www.nyemmys.org/media/files/files/49ae676a/61st-ny-emmy-awards-winners-press-release-2.pdf|website=NY EMMY}}</ref>

* ''[[Porgy and Bess |The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess]]'' – 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical