Kevin McCollum

Last updated

Kevin McCollum
Born (1962-03-01) March 1, 1962 (age 62)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Education University of Cincinnati (BFA)
University of Southern California (MFA)
Occupation
  • Broadway Producer

Kevin McCollum (born March 1, 1962) is an American theatrical booking executive and producer of musical theater and plays, many on Broadway. During a producing career spanning over twenty-five years, McCollum has received three Tony Awards for Best Musical for In the Heights , Avenue Q , and Rent .

Contents

Early life and education

McCollum was born in Hawaii where he attended the Punahou School. McCollum left to live with his aunt in Illinois after his mother died in 1976 and graduated Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois. [1] McCollum graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 1984. [2] He earned his master's degree in film producing from the Peter Stark program at the University of Southern California. [3] In 1995, he received the Robert Whitehead Award for Outstanding Commercial Theatre Producing. [4]

In 1997, he married actress Lynnette Perry, who originated the role of Evelyn Nesbit in the musical Ragtime. They have two children. He was previously married to Tony Award winning actress Michele Pawk from 1992-1995.[ citation needed ]

Career

McCollum formerly served as the president and CEO of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, where he was appointed in 1995 [5]

McCollum co-founded The Booking Group, which has represented more than 18 Tony Award-winning plays and musicals since its inception. [6] He also co-founded The Producing Office with Jeffrey Seller in 1996. [7] [8]

Through a career that has spanned over twenty-five years in the theatre industry, McCollum has received three Tony Awards for Best Musical for In the Heights (2008), Avenue Q (2004), and Rent (1996). Other producing credits include Motown the Musical (Broadway and tour), The Drowsy Chaperone (five 2006 Tony Awards), Baz Luhrmann's La Bohème (two 2002 Tony Awards), the hit revival of West Side Story (2009), Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (2011), and [title of show] (2008).

McCollum was co-producer of the musical Rent in 1996, winner of that year's Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score and Best Featured Actor. [9] It also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making it only the fifth musical to ever win both the Pulitzer and the Tony. [10] It also won six Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical. [9] In 2005 he served as executive producer for the movie version of Rent . [11]

Productions and accolades

In 2011, McCollum founded Alchemation, a theatre and media company under McCollum's leadership. Productions under the Alchemation banner include Motown the Musical, Something Rotten!, Hand to God and the third season of theatrical web-series Submissions Only. In the summer of 2013, McCollum entered a joint venture with 20th Century Fox to develop titles from the Fox catalogue into stage properties. [15]

In 2005, McCollum was invited to give the commencement address for the graduating class at University of Cincinnati. [16] Effective August 2015, McCollum was appointed to the position of distinguished visiting professor at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a role that will continue for three years and will include work with faculty and administrators to develop a new musical theatre incubator program at CCM.

Filmography

YearTitleProducerExecutive ProducerNotes
1995 Jeffrey NoYes
2005 Rent NoYes
2021 In the Heights NoYes
2021 West Side Story YesNo

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References

  1. ↑ Ryan, Tim (June 3, 1996). "On Broadway". Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on August 31, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  2. ↑ "About Kevin E. McCollum". uc.edu. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  3. ↑ "USC Cinematic Arts. Notable Alumni". usc.edu. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Robert Whitehead Award. Commercial Theater Institute" commercialtheaterinstitute.com, Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  5. ↑ Staff, Variety (August 28, 1995). "McCollum takes reins at Ordway". Variety. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Kevin McCollum". ebscohost.com. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ "The Producing Office – Broadway Organization. IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Kevin McCollum and Jeffrey Seller to Dissolve The Producing Office". theatermania.com. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  9. 1 2 . ibdb.com, Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  10. ↑ Rent (musical)#cite ref-Time 3-0
  11. ↑ "Kevin McCollum". imdb.com. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  12. ↑ Blistein, Jon. "Elton John Writing 'Devil Wears Prada' Musical for Broadway" Rolling Stone, January 2017
  13. ↑ "In the Heights – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  14. ↑ De La Guarda lortel.org, retrieved June 22, 2018
  15. ↑ Cox, Gordon (August 8, 2013). "Kevin McCollum: Fox Finds Its Stage Coach". Variety. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
  16. ↑ "All-University Commencement (Morning)". uc.edu. Retrieved on December 27, 2016.
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