Adam Epstein (BA '96)
Currently serving as a producer of the smash hit musical Hairspray (and one of the youngest producers on Broadway), Gallatin alumnus Adam Epstein is no stranger to the industry’s prestigious Tony Awards. His productions have been nominated for 37 Tonys and awarded 12, and he himself won a Tony for producing Hairspray in 2003.
Though he was always interested in theater, Adam’s academic concentration at Gallatin was political science. Gallatin professor George Shulman, Adam’s adviser, served as his mentor. Adam’s political theory and political philosophy classes engaged him in critical thinking and required him to utilize his strong writing and analytical skills—skills that he says he depends on in his career today when evaluating scripts, budgets, and ideas for new ventures. While at Gallatin, Adam interned in NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s office, a setting that provided a reality for the political theories he was studying in class. Meanwhile, he wrote a column for the Washington Square News and maintained his theatrical involvement at NYU through acting classes, performance workshops, and productions in the musical theater department.
Thus, being a student at Gallatin allowed him to combine his two loves—politics and theater—and this combination led Adam to producing. He recounts, “I learned a lot about policy making, power, and fund-raising. I combined this knowledge with my love of the arts. After graduation, I interned for Johnson/Liff Casting Associates and realized that I really wanted to produce. This experience led to my first job as an associate producer of the Broadway production of The Life, a musical that received much acclaim.”
Adam went on to be an associate producer on the Broadway revival of A View from the Bridge, and a full producer on Amadeus, The Crucible, and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. As he was gaining experience (and garnering Tony nominations), he started developing Hairspray with co-producer Margo Lion.
Adam’s future projects include two new Broadway musicals based on contemporary movies: Cry-Baby, based on a movie by John Waters; and a musical adaptation of the film Ever After, a retelling of the Cinderella story. In addition, he recently returned to Gallatin—this time to teach. In a course titled “The Independent Producer and the Broadway Musical,” he explores the implications of producing musicals in today’s climate. His course covers legal and financial matters, assembling a creative team, the relationship between the commercial and nonprofit worlds, and the role of the critic. In their final projects, students are asked to demonstrate their ability to produce their own shows by relying on critical thinking and collaboration—two skills that Adam says he discovered and refined as a Gallatin student.