Producer Spotlight: Rob Schiffmann on The Wild Horse

[Editor's Note: Once a month we have a producer or artistic director take you behind the curtain, into the rehearsal process, backstage, or on the road to illuminate more the of Broadway's Next Hit Musical process. This month it's co-producer and emcee Rob Schiffmann]

Rob Schiffmann takes the reins, er, the wheel.

I am writing this blog post from a Starbucks in Las Vegas where I am emceeing an event for IBM over the next few days. To be clear, the event IS in Las Vegas however it is NOT at Starbucks. This event is part of the IBM Think 2018 convention, which is a massive series of meetings for tech leaders and followers in the industry to come together as a community and see what they can accomplish by THINKing together. It is, by far, the largest event in which I have ever taken part. It is at once an exhilarating and intimidating thought that in a few short hours, I will get up alone in front of a crowd of 2-4000 people to perform a piece of music I wrote and recorded to kick off part of this insanely large event. What the heck?!?! I just hope (as most artists do) that no one figures out that I am just some kid winging it and not looking back.

Taking the Reigns

As one of the producers of Broadway's Next Hit Musical, I am essentially doing the same thing. Every time I book a flight, bring a group of actors to a venue for us to perform our show, write a paycheck or file taxes, in the back of my mind is the thought that "I have no idea what I am doing!" It's like someone gave me the reigns to a wild horse and said "RIDE!” 

Now, it would absolutely make sense for me to jump off that horse as quickly as possible and hand the reigns to someone with more experience. Maybe someone who went to business school or had some pedigree that made them “right for the job.” That said, I am an improviser at heart and that means that when the going gets rough, I dive in deeper and on some level, I think that is EXACTLY what a producer's job is. A producer's job is to be the person who gets (secretly) a little excited at the prospect of going up against Delta Airlines when they randomly cancel a flight. I have to be the one who jumps in the ring when it seems all hope is lost. 

I gots ta produce, y’all!!

So to all of you who have had to deal with a last minute flight change on my behalf or 4000 emails that probably could have been summed up in 1, just know that I am on this wild horse and wont get off until we reach the finish line (or wherever it is that horses go when they stop!) 

I have so much more to say but I now have to go buy seven tickets to Minnesota. 

The fun never stops.... truly!! 

The fun never stops....truly!!

Rob Schiffmann's Phony Winners Playlist