The newest volume drawn from the American Theatre Wing--creator of the Tony Awards--archive of transcripts from the popular discussion series of Working in the Theatre seminars is now available. Theatre is a creative and collaborative enterprise. But like any enterprise in a capitalistic culture, it must rely on the initial flow of money from entrepreneurs and investors. There can be an uneasy relationship between commerce and creativity. But this book dispels this easy notion, in the process demystfying the work of producers on Broadway, off-Broadway, and the West End. As Oscar Hammerstein observed: "A producer is a rare, paradoxical genius--hardheaded, soft-hearted, cautious, reckless, a hopeful innocent in fair weather, a stern pilot in stormy weather, an idealist, a practical dreamer, a sophisticated gambler, a stage-struck child." By examining the funding of theatre today, this book is an invaluable examination of what a producer does in terms of selecting the work, finding backers, dealing with unions, advertising, and much more. Although economics is called the dismal science, nothing could be further from the truth in this lively collection of free and collegial discussions.