Jordan Roth

Early life

Born in New York City to a Jewish family, Roth spent his elementary years in Ridgewood, New Jersey, with his parents – billionaire real estate developer Steven Roth and theater producer Daryl Roth – and older sister. He returned to New York in middle school to attend the Horace Mann School. Throughout high school he performed in plays and frequently attended Broadway shows with his mother, to whom he credits his early exposure to theater.

Roth graduated with degrees in philosophy and theater from Princeton University. He later received an MBA from Columbia Business School.

After graduating, Roth returned to New York City. In 1999, he produced The Donkey Show, an interactive A Midsummer Night's Dream set to disco music. The production, a disco club event combining elements of both theater and nightlife, ran for six years off Broadway, toured internationally, and ran weekly at the Oberon space of the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts until 2019. The show was described by The New York Times as "a lark, an exuberant and witty splicing of disparate sources."

Career

In 2001, Roth staged a musical revival of the 1975 Broadway hit, The Rocky Horror Show, which ran until 2002. Through the course of the run, the cast included Dick Cavett, Joan Jett, Luke Perry, Ana Gasteyer, and a rotation of guest narrators. The show was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival in 2001, five Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, and a Drama League Award.

In 2005, Roth joined Jujamcyn Theaters as a resident producer. He was promoted to vice president in 2006. In 2009, while still at Jujamcyn, he began an MBA program at Columbia University. In September 2009, at age 33, he purchased a 50% ownership stake in Jujamcyn Theaters and became the company's president when Rocco Landesman, Jujamcyn's previous president and owner, was appointed by President Obama to run the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2013, he acquired a majority stake in Jujamcyn, with Landesman retaining a small interest and becoming President Emeritus.

Since Roth assumed the title of President, Jujamcyn Theaters has been home to productions such as the Tony Award-winning The Book of Mormon, Clybourne Park, Kinky Boots, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and Hadestown, as well as productions of A Little Night Music, Bullets Over Broadway, Something Rotten!, Present Laughter with Kevin Kline, Frozen, Mean Girls, and Moulin Rouge!.

In 2023, Jujamcyn and ATG Entertainment combined operations and Roth became the combined company's largest individual shareholder, with a seat on the board. Jujamcyn sold a 93 percent stake in the company to ATG Entertainment in a deal that valued the Jujamcyn portfolio at $308 million, and Roth assumed the role of creative director of ATG Entertainment. Jujamcyn received a 7 percent stake in the Lyric Theatre, the Hudson Theatre and the Kings Theatre, valued at a combined $98 million. The combination allowed Jujamcyn to pay down $203 million in debt.

Roth has appeared on television as the Broadway correspondent to MSNBC's Morning Joe and has played himself in a recurring role on the NBC television series Smash. Roth is an haute couture collector. He journaled the Spring 2019 Paris Fashion Week for Vogue magazine. The New York Times said Roth has become a "red carpet magnet" due to his "penchant for avant-garde couture."

Roth hosts an interview series Broadway Talks at the 92nd Street Y, facilitating one-on-one discussions with Broadway actors. He also produced and starred in the YouTube animated series, The Birds and the BS, a comedic series addressing American culture during the first Trump presidency; and publishes the online newsletter, Warmly Jordan. Previously, Roth founded the social network website Culturalist, which aggregated "Top 10” lists from users.

Philanthropy

In 2007, Roth created Givenik.com, a service that allowed theater-goers to buy discounted tickets and give 5% of their ticket price to the charity of their choice. Givenik.com supported over 500 charitable organizations. As of 2020, it has ceased operations.

Roth supports organizations working for the arts, the city and for LGBTQ equality. He serves on the board of trustees for Freedom To Marry and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Board of Governors for the Broadway League. He also supports the LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention Hotline and The Trevor Project, a hotline for young people in crisis.

On October 17, 2016, Roth and Harvey Weinstein collaborated to produce Broadway for Hillary, a one-night fundraiser hosted by Billy Crystal, featuring Julia Roberts, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emily Blunt, Angela Bassett, Neil Patrick Harris, and Helen Mirren.

Personal life

In June 2003, Roth met Richie Jackson, a talent manager and executive producer. They married in September 2012. He is co-parent of Jackson Foo Wong, Jackson's son with his former partner, BD Wong. Roth's son with Jackson, Levi Emmanuel Roth, was born through surrogacy in 2016.

Awards and honors

Roth is a seven-time Tony Award winner. He produced the 11-time Tony-nominated production of Angels in America, which won Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), and Best Featured Actor (Nathan Lane) in 2018.

On February 2, 2019, Roth received the HRC Legacy Award, awarded by the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that raises funds in the fight for LGBT equality.

[[Drama Desk Award]]s

[[Tony Awards]]

References

References

1. (February 14, 2023). "Broadway and West End Theater Owners Agree to Join Forces".
2. (November 20, 2017). "Celebrity Podcast".
3. Cohen, Patricia. (September 8, 2009). "A New Force on Broadway". The New York Times.
4. "News Post".
5. (2018-09-20). "An Interview with Jordan Roth".
6. Gans, Andrew. (September 8, 2009). "Jordan Roth Succeeds Rocco Landesman as Jujamcyn Theaters President".
7. (January 23, 2017). "How a Columbia MBA took impresario Jordan Roth to the next stage". Financial Times.
8. (June 4, 2010). "How Jujamcyn Theater Owner Jordan Roth Has Become an Industry Evangelist -- New York Magazine - Nymag".
9. "The Donkey Show".
10. Simon, Clea. (August 29, 2019). "Last dance, last chance". The Harvard Gazette.
11. Marks, Peter. (1999-08-27). "THEATER REVIEW; They Be Foolish Mortals Who Love the Nightlife". The New York Times.
12. "''The Rocky Horror Show'', a CurtainUp review".
13. Ehren, Christine. (July 19, 2001). "Luke Perry Extends in ''Rocky'' Through Aug. 5".
14. Winer, Linda. (November 15, 2000). "Time Warp Redux / ''Rocky Horror'' is original again, on Broadway".
15. (August 22, 2000). "''Rocky Horror'' Show Features Quirky Cast: Cavett, Jett, DeLaria".
16. "''The Rocky Horror Show'' Broadway @ Circle in the Square Theatre - Tickets and Discounts".
17. "Jordan Roth to Succeed Rocco Landesman as Jujamcyn Theaters President".
18. (2010-01-01). "40 Under 40 - Jordan Roth".
19. Cohen, Patricia. (2009-09-08). "A New Force on Broadway". [[The New York Times]].
20. Cox, Gordon. (2013-01-21). "Roth ups his stake in Jujamcyn".
21. "Jujamcyn Theaters – Broadway Organization". [[Internet Broadway Database]].
22. (July 20, 2023). "Steven Roth's son inks $300M deal for majority stake in Jujamcyn theaters".
23. (2012-03-14). "VIDEO: Jordan Roth Talks Broadway Box Office on ''Morning Joe''".
24. Jones, Kenneth. (January 22, 2013). "Jordan Roth Is Now Principal Owner of Broadway's Jujamcyn Theaters". [[Playbill]].
25. Cox, Gordon. (2014-01-10). "Jordan Roth Makes Legit Moves in Digital Space".
26. (January 28, 2019). "Jordan Roth: A Man's View on the Haute Couture".
27. Paulson, Michael. (2018-06-06). "A Broadway Mogul Redefines Clout in His Own Fashion". [[The New York Times]].
28. "Jordan Roth's ''Broadway Talks'' Series At 92nd Street Y Continues {{!}} Community {{!}} For The Record".
29. . ["''Broadway Talks'' with Jordan Roth"](http://www.92y.org/BroadwayTalks). *[[92nd Street Y]]*.
30. Paulson, Michael. (2018-02-08). "A Broadway Bigwig Lampoons Trump, Despite Family Ties". [[The New York Times]].
31. "Subscribe to Warmly, Jordan".
32. Oxfeld, Jesse. (August 2016). "A Day in the Life of Jordan Roth". [[The Wall Street Journal]].
33. . ["Givenik.com"](http://givenik.com/).
34. "Givenik".
35. (2016-06-28). "Merging his family lineages, Jordan Roth makes his own way". Reuters.
36. "The Team".
37. (July 7, 2015). "Coming Out In The Modern Age: An Interview With Broadway's Jordan Roth".
38. "Board of Governors".
39. (September 30, 2016). "Harvey Weinstein, Jordan Roth Set Star-Studded Broadway Fundraiser for Hillary Clinton".
40. Schwartz, Paula. (September 14, 2012). "Weddings/Celebrations: Richie Jackson and Jordan Roth". The New York Times.
41. Roth, Jordan. (2016-07-23). "And so we begin... With overwhelming joy and intense gratitude, we welcome our son, Levi Emmanuel Roth.pic.twitter.com/6vUyemGAvc".
42. Carpenter, Lea. (2019-10-23). "For the Roth Family, Love Is About the Right to Choose Your Own Story".
43. "Jordan Roth – Broadway Cast & Staff".
44. Nyren, Erin. (2018-06-11). "Tony Award Winners 2018: The Complete List".
45. (January 9, 2019). "HRC to Honor Amandla Stenberg and Jordan Roth at HRC NY Gala".