‘Paranormal Activity’ producer Ken Davenport wants high school shows to mirror Broadway

Ken Davenport, the Tony-winning producer of “Kinky Boots” and the revival of “Once On This Island,” joins Pete to talk about “The Full Company: A Field Guide to Non-Performing Roles in High School Theater.”

Davenport is busy. He’s brought the spine-tingling thriller “Paranormal Activity” to Broadway with illusions like nothing audiences have seen before. It’s scary, he says, but at its heart, it’s just a great play.

As busy as he is, Davenport is still thinking about the future of Broadway and how current high school kids will play a part in it.

Last spring, one of Davenport’s Instagram post went viral when he said he was disappointed that high school show don’t have staffs like Broadway shows do. Where were the producers and the company managers? And why shouldn’t schools start training kids early for actual business-side roles they could eventually fill on Broadway?

The pushback came fast and furious, teachers saying there was no budget for those roles.

Davenport registered that, but then created something they could use without spending a penny.

The report, titled “The Full Company,” looks at a dozen non-performing roles — from producer to dramaturg to development coordinator — that school theater departments could add simply by setting another chair at the table. Each role is described, and why each is important, and what they would look like in a high school setting, and how to implement it at your school.

Other episode highlights you won’t want to miss:

* Davenport’s “High School Musical” moment, when he quit the basketball team and announced he was trying out for the musical;

* The impact that “Les Mis” had on him, and what Davenport thinks sets that musical apart;

* His thoughts on “Paranormal Activity,” his latest Broadway show, and how Broadway has embraced thrillers in the past.

Here are some links to help you dig deeper.

Read the full report, “The Full Company: A Field Guide to Non-Performing Roles in High School Theater” here.

Read more about Ken and his work at The Producer’s Perspective. (https://kendavenport.com/welcome-to-the-producers-perspective)

Follow him on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/kendavenportbway)

And follow me on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/petekramermedia)

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