BROADWAY BABY, new stage-centric illustrated children’s book - AmNews Curtain Raiser

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Tuesday, October 20, 2020

BROADWAY BABY, new stage-centric illustrated children’s book

 

As Broadway Dreams of Its Next Opening Night,

A New Children’s Book Celebrates the Excitement of Musicals and the Spirit of the Theatre Community

 Limited Edition Available Now Exclusively from PlaybillStore.com

Theater operator and producer Russell Miller (Guys & Dolls, Blood Brothers, Paramour, On The Town) is the author of the new stage-centric illustrated children’s book BROADWAY BABY, released by Meteor 17 Books for the 2020 holiday season. 

A special hardcover limited edition of BROADWAY BABY is available now in the U.S. exclusively through the Playbill Store. A portion of proceeds from sales of the special edition will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

UK readers can purchase the book exclusively through www.broadwaybabybook.com, with a portion of proceeds donated to the Theatre Artists Fund.

“We’re all Broadway babies at heart,” said Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola.

 At a time when theaters are temporarily shuttered and fans and artists are missing live performances, BROADWAY BABY charms with a whimsical love letter to Broadway. Artfully illustrated by the award-winning Yoko Matsuoka, this cheeky little Broadway Baby dreams of becoming a Broadway star. Those dreams take us on a truly theatrical journey from his crib to the playground to the heart of New York City, with nods to many elements that make live theatre so special.

BROADWAY BABY celebrates the importance of theatre and creativity; encourages children and Broadway lovers of all ages to create and be whatever you want to be, whoever you are, wherever you are; and reminds readers that even the loftiest of dreams can come true.

Miller was inspired to write BROADWAY BABY after searching for a gift for his Tony Award-winning producing partner’s newborn daughter, Olivia. With nothing suitably theatre-centric available, he carefully crafted this new book as a go-to for theatre fans and performers alike.

BROADWAY BABY was born of necessity,” said Miller. “I felt there was a real need to create something authentically theatrical that would resonate with theatre lovers and children of all ages, something unique and sincere that serves as a special VIP invitation to join our magical world of theater-land.”

Meteor 17’s Vice Chair, Judith A. Proffer – a former newspaper publisher (LA Weekly, Sun Community Newspapers), author (When We Stayed Home, I Hope You Dance), and award-winning boutique book publisher (Brandi Carlile’s Caroline, Graham Nash’s Our House) – worked closely with Miller on all aspects of creating BROADWAY BABY. Proffer is a musical theatre buff who was “honored and delighted” to help bring the book to life.

 Multi-award winning art director and graphic designer Hugh Syme brings his entertainment-centric brilliance to the book’s design. Syme’s work has been featured in a wide range of disciplines and by clients ranging from music (Aerosmith, RUSH, The David Geffen Company, Celine Dion, Capitol, Warner Bros, Atlantic, Virgin Music) to brand agencies (Saatchi & Saatchi, Young & Rubicam, Chiat Day) to movie studios (Universal, Paramount Pictures).

Miller has teamed with Spencer Proffer and Meteor 17 to bring BROADWAY BABY and its extensions, including toys, animation, and merchandise, to life on multiple platforms. Proffer will oversee and negotiate all the extensions.

Russell Miller is a theatre producer with over 25 years’ professional experience, predominantly in the running of large and prolific commercial theatres, sports, and entertainment venues. Previously as a Senior International Business Director, he was responsible for operating 12 regional UK theatres and 10 West End Theatres in London – the largest group in London for the world’s largest theatre owner/operator. Russell has overseen notable productions including the West End revival of Guys & Dolls with Ewan McGregor, Patrick Swayze, and Don Johnson, which broke London box office records. He also oversaw the opening of On The Town and Cirque du Soleil’s Broadway debut hit musical Paramour, both performed at the Lyric Theatre, Broadway’s second-largest theatre. 


Russell set up the business/commercial infrastructure to support the reopening after almost 50 years of the Hudson Theatre on Broadway, with Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal starring in Sunday in the Park with George. Russell also had responsibility for associated US theatres and concert venues in Brooklyn and four regional US venues in New Orleans and San Antonio. In 2012, Russell directly led 90 departments and over 1,200 venue staff to oversee the planning and delivery of events for the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, viewed at peak by an audience of over 3 billion. He also is a contributor to the ABTT Theatres, A Design Guide (published by Routledge), and is an external advisor for Bain & Company. Russell is currently a producer on the forthcoming documentary Defying Gravity celebrating Stephen Schwartz, the composer of hit Broadway shows WickedGodspell, and Pippin. He is a consulting producer on films with Don McLean and his classic song, “American Pie;” hit Motown producer/writer Lamont Dozier; and Eddie Kramer, an engineer for Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and the Beatles.

#Broadway @Books #Childrenbooks #Theaterkids

 


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