Joseph Z. Nederlander

Joseph Z. Nederlander (born June 1, 1927)[1] is the former Executive Vice President[2] of the Nederlander Organization, one of the largest live theater owners and producers[3] in the United States.

Joseph Z. Nederlander
Born
Joseph Zachary Nederlander

(1927-06-01) June 1, 1927
Detroit, Michigan
OccupationLive theater owner and operator
Known forExecutive VP of the Nederlander Organization
Spouse(s)
Ricki Rose
​
​
(m. 1960; div. 1973)​

Laurie
​
​
(m. 1975; div. 1988)​

Carol Jacoby
​
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2
Parent(s)Sarah Applebaum
David T. Nederlander
FamilyJames M. Nederlander (brother)
Harry Jay Nederlander (brother)
Robert Nederlander (brother)
Fred Nederlander (brother)
Frances Nederlander Kohn (sister)
James L. Nederlander (nephew)

Early life and education

Nederlander was born in Detroit, Michigan, one of six children of Sarah (née Applebaum) and David T. "D.T." Nederlander. His father's first venture into live theatre came in 1912, when he signed a 99-year lease[4] on the old Opera House at Campus Martius in Detroit and founded the family company, the Nederlander Organization. He has four brothers: James, Harry, Robert, and Fred; and one sister, Frances.[5]

Nederlander attended Pontiac High School in Pontiac, Michigan.[1] He served in the Navy before returning home in 1947 and enrolled at Wayne State University for one semester. After he dropped out of college, he joined the family's theatre business.[1]

Career

In 1940, Nederlander's father bought the Orpheum Thetare on Lafayette with the Shubert Organization. They renamed the theatre the Shubert-Lafayette Theatre (demolished in 1964). Nederlander, now working in all aspects of the business from the box office to sweeping the floors, with his father and brother James, also purchased the Riviera Theatre (demolished in 1996)[4] on West Grand River.

Nederlander was instrumental in the complete reconfiguration of the Fisher Theatre in 1961[6] with his father, D.T. and brother, James. The 3,500-seat movie house built by the Fisher brothers would be pared down to a state-of-the-art 2,200-seat legitimate live theatre.[6] It quickly became a premier venue not only in Detroit, but across the country. Not long after opening, it boasted the largest season-ticket subscription in the country, at 55,000.[1]

As the family business expanded and James moved to New York to continue to buy theatres and produce Broadway shows, Nederlander stayed behind to run operations in Detroit. The Nederlander Organization controlled the Fisher Theatre,[7] Shubert Theatre, and Grand Riviera Theater. Nederlander was instrumental in the opening of the Pine Knob Music Theatre (now known as DTE Energy Music Theatre) in the 1970s.[8]

The Nederlander Organization controls nine Broadway theaters[9] and is the second-largest of the three companies that dominate Broadway, after the Shubert Organization (which owns 16 theaters) and ahead of Jujamcyn (which owns five). On a global scale, the Nederlander Organization is larger, with an additional 15 theaters nationwide. They are the only one of the three that is still run by its owners.

Nederlander produced the revival of Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (1978), Into the Light (1986), and Side Show (1997).[10]

Personal life

His nephew, James L. Nederlander, is the current President of the Nederlander Organization in New York.[11]

Theatre
Year Title Type Role Theatre
1969 Indians Original Theatre Owner/Operator Brooks Atkinson Theatre
1970 Paris Is Out! Original
1973 Seesaw Original Uris Theatre
1973 Gigi Original
1974 Sammy Original
1974 Anthony Newley / Henry Mancini Original
1975 Treemonisha Original
1976 The Mikado Revival
1976 The Pirates of Penzance Revival
1976 H.M.S. Pinafore Revival
1976 Porgy and Bess Revival
1976 Bing Crosby on Broadway Original
1977 Nureyev Original
1977 Béjart: Ballet of the Twentieth Century Original
1977 The King and I Revival
1978 Stop the World - I Want to Get Off Revival Producer New York State Theatre
1986 Sweet Charity Revival Theatre Owner/Operator Minskoff Theatre
1986 Into the Light Original Producer Neil Simon Theatre
1997 Side Show Original Producer Richard Rodgers Theatre

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
1998 Tony Award Best Musical Side Show Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished Production of a Musical Nominated

See also

References
  1. Devine, Lawrence (September 21, 1997). "Bring in 'da Joe". Detroit Free Press. p. G1.
  2. "Nederlander Announces Executive Changes". New York Times. 22 Nov 1981.
  3. "Joseph Nederlander | IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  4. Callaghan, J. Dorsey (February 3, 1957). "Stage Looks Good After 45 Years". Detroit Free Press. p. 38.
  5. Devine, Lawrence (May 10, 1981). "Curtain never falls on Detroit Family's theatrical empire". Detroit Free Press. p. G1.
  6. Cook, Louis (May 7, 1961). "Fisher Signs Line-Up of Hits". Detroit Free Press. p. 22.
  7. Zurawik, Dave (November 24, 1978). "Joey: Now in his 884th Week". Detroit Free Press. p. 29.
  8. "Nederlanders to open new theatre". The Times Hearld (Port Huron, Michigan). February 4, 1972. p. 22.
  9. Devine, Lawrence (June 5, 1981). "The Nederlander empire controls 95,051 theatre seats". The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland). p. 17.
  10. "Joseph Z. Nederlander". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  11. New York Magazine: "Jimmy Nederlander's Endless Run" By Eric Konigsberg retrieved August 3, 2013
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