Agency for the Performing Arts

APA (also known as Agency for the Performing Arts) is one of the largest diversified talent agencies in Los Angeles[2] with headquarters in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Toronto and London.[1] Founded in 1962 in New York by a group of former MCA agents,[3] the company represents actors, writers, producers, showrunners, directors, performers, physical production services, film studios,[1] and luxury and lifestyle brands across all media platforms worldwide. The agency also packages feature films, as well as television series such as Away and Bridgerton[4] on Netflix, The Dublin Murders on Showtime, All Rise on CBS, and For Life on ABC, as well as classic TV series Home Improvement and Roseanne.

APA
TypePrivate
IndustryTalent and Literary Agencies
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California
Number of locations
Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Toronto, London
Key people
James H. Gosnell Jr. President and CEO[1]
Websitewww.apa-agency.com

History

APA was founded in New York in 1962 by former MCA executives David Baumgarten (c. 1917–1995),[5] Roger Vorce (1929–2018)[6] and Harvey Litwin (1931–2020).[7] Early clients included Rowan & Martin, Victor Borge, Rogers Williams, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, Rosemary Clooney, Liberace, The Doors and Harry Belafonte.

Controversies

Both partners and agents of APA have been accused on multiple occasions of child abuse, sexual assault and rape by members of staff an child actors. Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard (then 14) has since left the agency after former child actor Blaise Godbe Lipman, who is now an adult, says the APA agent Grasham assaulted him 10 years ago when he was looking for representation. He first posted the allegation on Facebook. Lucas Ozarowski, a 27-year-old film and TV editor, then came forward and told Deadline that the same thing happened to him at the hand of Grasham. He also told Deadline that he contacted Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and will file a report with the LAPD today.[8] A former assistant at APA filed a lurid sexual harassment complaint on Wednesday alleging that a partner at the firm sent her graphic text messages and threatened to have her fired when she refused his advances. The assistant, identified in the suit only as Jane Doe, alleges that top management fostered a “toxic, pervasive and sexually abusive environment.” The suit also claims that APA CEO Jim Gosnell routinely flew into violent rages, threw objects including a stapler and a trash can at her, and called her a “bitch” and an “icy cold c—.” “APA’s culture promoted sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and sexual violence against its female employees,” the suit alleges. “The men in power at APA were allowed to prey upon usually much younger female subordinates,” the suit claims. The agency has launched 'internal investigations' for both the Tyler Grasham and 'Jane Doe' allegations not allowing police to get involved in either scenario.[9]

Current

The agency's divisions include Alternative & Factual Programming, Branding, Comedy & Live Podcasts, Concert Touring, Intellectual Property, Motion Picture Literary, Physical Production,[10] Speakers, Talent, and Television Literary. APA is the 5th largest talent agency in the United States after Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, William Morris Endeavor, and International Creative Management. They are larger in size than Paradigm Talent Agency, The Gersh Agency, Innovative Artists, Abrams Artists Agency, and Don Buchwald & Associates.[11]

The agency's on-camera and theatrical talent include such actors as Academy Award-winning Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour),[12] Wesley Snipes (Coming 2 America),[13] Tony, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning James Earl Jones (The Lion King),[14] Mary J. Blige (The Umbrella Academy),[15] Emmy Award-winning Eddie Izzard (Victoria & Abdul),[16] Lucas Till (MacGuyver),[17] Academy Award-winning Mira Sorvino (Stuber),[18] Grammy and Billboard Award-winning 50 Cent (Power),[19] Lili Taylor (The Conjuring),[20] Tyrese Gibson (Fast & Furious),[21] Academy Award-winning Richard Dreyfuss (Madoff),[22] Cole Hauser (Yellowstone).[23]

APA has been a driving force behind such non-fiction series as Dance Moms (Lifetime),[24] Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (A&E),[25] Dr. Pimple Popper (TLC), Unidentified (History), and Blown Away (Netflix). The agency also represents the Executive Producers of hit non-fiction series such as Nailed It (Netflix), So You Think You Can Dance (Fox), Let’s Make a Deal (CBS), and Pyramid (ABC).

While the agency's Concert Touring division[26] represents a diversified list of performers with departments that include adult contemporary, contemporary, country, electronic, international and jazz, APA's urban music representation[27] has grown substantially over the past few years with clients such as 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Bryce Vine, Tyga, Lil Tjay, Young Dolph and Oddisee. Other major acts include Travis Tritt,[28] Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness,[29] David Gilmour,[30] Blondie, Smokey Robinson, Cake,[31] Brian Wilson, Judas Priest, Manchester Orchestra and Frankie Valli.

The agency also reps numerous authors and storytellers in the area intellectual property, whose works have been adapted for film, streaming, television and Broadway, including bestselling author Gregory Maquire (Wicked, Egg & Spoon),[32] #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child (Jack Reacher books),[33] #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris (True Blood, Midnight, Texas, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries),[34] Patrick O’Brian (Master & Commander),[35] and New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award winner Neal Shusterman (Challenger Deep).[36]

References
  1. "APA Opens London Office, Signs Pinewood Studios Group".
  2. "The 25 largest talent agencies ranked by number of agents in L.A. County".
  3. Longwell, Todd. "APA: Percentery's synergies". Variety.com. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  4. "Bridgerton" – via IMDb.
  5. "DAVID BAUMGARTEN". Variety. May 8, 1995.
  6. Brockington, Ariana (May 7, 2018). "Roger Vorce, Agency for the Performing Arts Co-Founder, Dies at 88".
  7. "Stocks". Bloomberg.com.
  8. "Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard fires agent amid sex abuse claims". October 21, 2017 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  9. Maddaus, Gene (June 20, 2019). "APA Claims Texts Were Fabricated in Lurid Sex Harassment Suit".
  10. Andreeva, Nellie. "Six Montana Artists Agents & Executives Led By Toppers Matt Birch & Ralph Berge Join APA". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline.com. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  11. Largest Talent Agencies in Los Angeles (2019) 2019
  12. McNary, Dave (2016-04-15). "Gary Oldman in Talks to Play Winston Churchill in 'Darkest Hour'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  13. "Wesley Snipes Joins Eddie Murphy in 'Coming to America' Sequel (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  14. D'Alessandro, Anthony (2019-08-07). "James Earl Jones & Paul Bates Returning For 'Coming To America' Sequel, Rick Ross Also Joining". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  15. "Mary J. Blige to Star in 'Power' Spinoff at Starz". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  16. Hipes, Patrick (2019-07-25). "Bill Pullman, Eddie Izzard, Diplo Join 'Covers' Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  17. Andreeva, Nellie (2016-03-21). "'X-Men's Lucas Till To Play MacGyver In CBS Reboot Pilot". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  18. N'Duka, Amanda (2019-06-12). "Mira Sorvino & Tom Skerritt Topline 'East of the Mountains' Film Adaptation". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  19. Holloway, Daniel (2018-10-11). "50 Cent Signs Massive Multi-Series Starz Deal (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  20. Hipes, Patrick (2019-04-24). "Lili Taylor & Stefania LaVie Owen To Star In Mental Illness Drama 'Paper Spiders'". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  21. N'Duka, Amanda (2019-07-09). "Tyrese Gibson To Produce & Star In 'The Inside Game' Thriller". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  22. "Richard Dreyfuss to Play Bernie Madoff in ABC Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  23. "Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly and Two More Board Taylor Sheridan Paramount Network Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  24. McNary, Dave (2012-01-19). "APA ups Marc Kamler". Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  25. "Leah Remini, A&E Team for Scientology Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  26. "APA Agency - Touring". APA Agency. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  27. "How the Agency for the Performing Arts Became an Unlikely Hip-Hop Hub". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  28. "Artist Snapshot: Travis Tritt". CelebrityAccess. 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  29. "Andrew McMahon Talks Playing the Long Game Into an Unlikely Hit & Solo Success at Billboard Live Music Summit". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  30. "APA Promotes Music Agent Steve Martin to Partner". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  31. Hipes, Patrick (2018-11-12). "Bruce Solar Upped To APA Partner & Worldwide Music Co-Head". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  32. Kroll, Justin (2014-04-25). "Universal Lands Book From 'Wicked' Author, 'Egg and Spoon'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  33. Petski, Denise (2019-07-15). "Amazon Developing Jack Reacher Drama Series From Nick Santora Based On Lee Child Books". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  34. "'True Blood' Author Adapting 'Midnight, Texas' Book Series for NBC". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  35. "Hollywood Throwback: Dinner at Sam Goldwyn Jr.'s with Charlton Heston and 'Master and Commander' Author Patrick O'Brian". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  36. Fleming, Mike Jr. (2019-07-25). "Disney+ Acquires Neal Shusterman Novel 'Challenger Deep' With 'Toy Story 4's Will McCormack Adapting". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
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