Ms. Reid previously served as the Road Vice-Chair of the Broadway League. The Road is a very important part of the League as our members represent over 200 venues across the country and present Touring Broadway shows in 191 cities in the United States. In her capacity as the Vice-Chair of the Road, she steered the League’s Governance Committee from 2016-18 along with our Chair Thomas Schumacher. During her tenure as Co-Chair of the Intra-Industry Committee from 2016-19, Ms. Reid was instrumental in bringing conversations and initiatives about security to the forefront which led to the conception of the Road Security, Communications, and Operations Guide plus the creation of the Road Security Forum. She also advocated for the creation of the Rising Stars professional development program which identifies and mentors the next generation of theatre industry leaders; providing them with a full curriculum of sessions taught by producers, presenters, general managers, and League members. She continues to serve on these committees as well as the Membership, Finance, and Biennial Planning committees.

 

“Lauren has been an active member of the Broadway League for many years helping to guide the industry to consecutive record-breaking seasons. Her extensive experience as a road presenter, producer, and marketer along with her love for Broadway give her a deep understanding of what audiences are looking for across the country and what’s next for live theatre,” said Charlotte. St. Martin, President of the Broadway League. “It’s no wonder that she has earned the respect and admiration of her peers and is the right person at the right time to lead the industry.”

 

In the 2018-2019 season, Broadway attendance reached a record high of 14.8 million admissions, topping the attendance of the ten professional New York and New Jersey sports teams combined. The 2018-2019 season saw record breaking attendance on the road with 18.5 million admissions for touring Broadway shows. Every year, Broadway contributes over $12 billion to the New York City economy and supports over 87,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Touring Broadway has contributed $3.8 billion to local markets across the United States.

 

To date, 28 new productions have opened in the 2019 - 2020 season. These productions join 17 long-running shows currently playing. In the spring, 21 more shows are currently scheduled to open. Additionally, 29 Broadway shows are touring to the 191 cities that present Broadway on the Road.

 

Lauren Reid - Chief Operating Officer of the John Gore Organization (JGO) - has built her career out of her lifelong passion for live entertainment and a commitment to extend the reach of Broadway. Lauren has helped steer JGO to become the leading producer, distributor and marketer of commercial theatre. JGO’s family of companies include Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com and Group Sales Box Office and presents theatre in 47 markets in North America, reaching more than 35 million fans annually.

 

Lauren first joined JGO in 1992, when she held a range of leadership positions before leaving in 2006 to help launch and serve as COO of BASE Entertainment, managing worldwide operations, live music acts and Broadway shows, and oversaw the development of venues in Las Vegas, China and Singapore. In 2010, she returned to JGO and was named COO in 2017.

 

Lauren began her career as a talent manager in Austin, Texas, before going on to serve as national publicist for magician David Copperfield.

 

In addition to serving on the Broadway League’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors, Lauren serves on the boards of The Actors Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Hobby Center in Houston. She is a guest lecturer of “The Business of Entertainment” at her alma mater, The University of Texas, and is a mentor at New York University. She first fell in love with theatre at age 10 while attending a touring production of Annie in Houston, Texas.