Big Broadway Energy with Stephen Riordan and Gabe Alves
Season 1, Episode 6, Mar 30, 01:14 PM
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In this episode of Big Broadway Energy with Stephen Riordan, Gabe Alves returns as a guest to chat about his work as a Broadway producer and his involvement in the theater community, both in New York and St. Pete. Gabe reflects on his previous role as co-director of Winter Pride, which brought a slice of Broadway energy to St. Pete, featuring drag queens and other talent from New York.
The conversation shifts to Gabe's current project, Drag the Musical, which opened in 2023 and is set to close in April. Excitingly, the show is planning to move to London next year. Gabe gives listeners insight into the logistics of theater production, explaining the role of producers in raising funds and managing the financial side of productions. He discusses the staggering costs of keeping a show running, revealing that it costs around $200,000 a week for an off-Broadway show with 499 seats.
Gabe also breaks down what it means to be a producer, emphasizing the difference between producers, directors, and the creative vision of a show. He shares a personal anecdote about how producing Drag the Musical has been both an expensive journey and a rewarding one, as it’s the first Broadway show centered on drag queens. Gabe touches on the passion and joy behind the show’s creation, which isn’t just about making money but about bringing joy, love, and community to the stage.
Lastly, they chat about the state of Broadway after the pandemic, with Gabe discussing the upcoming excitement around new productions like Boop, the musical based on Betty Boop. Gabe shares his thoughts on how the show evolves into a powerful second act filled with dance and empowerment. It’s an exciting conversation that gives a behind-the-scenes look into the world of Broadway producing, the challenges, and the passion that fuels these groundbreaking shows.
#gabealvez #dragthemusical #broadwayproducer #winterpride2025 #winterpridestpetersburgFL #winterpridestpeteFL #stephenriordan #bigbroadwayenergy #karencarmichael
The conversation shifts to Gabe's current project, Drag the Musical, which opened in 2023 and is set to close in April. Excitingly, the show is planning to move to London next year. Gabe gives listeners insight into the logistics of theater production, explaining the role of producers in raising funds and managing the financial side of productions. He discusses the staggering costs of keeping a show running, revealing that it costs around $200,000 a week for an off-Broadway show with 499 seats.
Gabe also breaks down what it means to be a producer, emphasizing the difference between producers, directors, and the creative vision of a show. He shares a personal anecdote about how producing Drag the Musical has been both an expensive journey and a rewarding one, as it’s the first Broadway show centered on drag queens. Gabe touches on the passion and joy behind the show’s creation, which isn’t just about making money but about bringing joy, love, and community to the stage.
Lastly, they chat about the state of Broadway after the pandemic, with Gabe discussing the upcoming excitement around new productions like Boop, the musical based on Betty Boop. Gabe shares his thoughts on how the show evolves into a powerful second act filled with dance and empowerment. It’s an exciting conversation that gives a behind-the-scenes look into the world of Broadway producing, the challenges, and the passion that fuels these groundbreaking shows.
#gabealvez #dragthemusical #broadwayproducer #winterpride2025 #winterpridestpetersburgFL #winterpridestpeteFL #stephenriordan #bigbroadwayenergy #karencarmichael