Thomas Schumacher

Thomas Schumacher (born December 5, 1957) is a theatrical producer, currently president of Disney Theatrical Group,[1] the theatrical production arm of The Walt Disney Company.

For the American academic architect, see Thomas L. Schumacher.
Thomas Schumacher
Schumacher speaking at the 2019 Tony Awards
President of Disney Theatrical Group
Assumed office
June 2001 (2001-06)
Preceded byPosition Established
President of Walt Disney Feature Animation
In office
January 1999 (1999-01) – 2002 (2002)
Preceded byPeter Schneider
Succeeded byDavid Stainton
Personal details
Born
Thomas Hubbard Caswell Schumacher III

(1957-12-05) December 5, 1957
Glendale, California, U.S.
Spouse(s)Matthew White (married 2012–present)
OccupationTheatrical producer

Life and career

Schumacher studied theatre at UCLA. In 1987 he was associate director of the Los Angeles Festival of Arts, presenting the American premiere of Cirque du Soleil and the English-language premiere of Peter Brook's The Mahabharata. Previously, he spent five years on staff at the Mark Taper Forum, served as a line producer on the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival, and served as assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Ballet. He then joined the Disney company in 1988, producing the animated film, The Rescuers Down Under,[2] which was released in 1990.

With The Lion King under consideration for the next Broadway adaptation, Eisner ceded Disney Theatrical Productions to theatre-rooted Disney Animation president Peter Schneider and Schumacher, at their request, making them president and executive vice president of DTP, respectively.[3] Schneider was promoted to Disney Studios president in January 1999, while Thomas Schumacher was promoted to president of Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, while both are made co-presidents of Disney Theatrical[4] which was renamed to Buena Vista Theatrical Group Limited with two divisions—Disney Theatricals and Hyperion Theatricals—head by the duo.[5] With Schneider leaving in June 2001 to form his own theater production company partly funded by Disney, Schumacher became only president of Buena Vista Theatrical Group and head of its divisions.[6]

After producing dozens of films, Schumacher left Walt Disney Feature Animation in 2002, replaced by David Stainton.

He transitioned to solely focus on the growing theatrical business as its head. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Tony Administration Committee and the Advisory Committee of the American Theatre Wing. He is a mentor for the TDF Open Doors program and serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University. In November 2012, Schumacher married his longtime partner, interior designer Matthew White.[7]

On February 21, 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that Schumacher was the subject of an internal investigation at Disney into inappropriate behavior, with eyewitness accounts detailing aggressive sexual language and intimidation.[8]

Theatrical productions

Schumacher has worked with The Walt Disney Company since 1988 and currently serves as President of Disney Theatrical Group.

Publication

Schumacher is the author of the book How Does the Show Go On? An Introduction to the Theater (Disney Editions, 2007; 2019).

References
  1. Zinoman, Jason (2004-05-23). "The Tony Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  2. "The man who ran Disney Animation in the 90's explains how Toy Story happened". Radio National. 2017-10-12. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  3. Singer, Barry (October 4, 1998). "Theater; Just Two Animated Characters, Indeed". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  4. Simonson, Robert (January 12, 1999). "Thomas Schumacher Promoted to Co-President of Disney Theatricals". Playbill. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  5. "Disney Creates New Theatre Division, Hyperion Theatricals". Pay Bill. January 31, 2000. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  6. Lyman, Rick (June 21, 2001). "Chairman of Disney's Studios Resigns to Return to Broadway". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  7. Elice, Rick. "This Past November 24th". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  8. Fritz, Ben (February 21, 2018). "At Straitlaced Disney, a Star Producer's R-Rated Behavior Draws Complaints". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
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