Cody Lassen

Cody Lassen is a Tony Award-winning American theater producer and consultant. He is best known for producing the revival of Spring Awakening, which won him an Ovation Award[1] and a Tony nomination.[2]

Cody Lassen
Born
Kenosha, Wisconsin
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
(BA)
OccupationProducer, Consultant
Notable work
Revival of Spring Awakening
Websitewww.codylassen.com

Career

Lassen was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He earned his MBA from the University of Notre Dame[3] and graduated from DePaul University.[4]

He held live entertainment management positions with Nielsen and NBCUniversal. While at NBCUniversal, Lassen was active in their corporate diversity initiatives and was part of the team that led the company to be named one of the best places to work for LGBT employees.[5] In addition to producing his own projects, Lassen consulted for major studios, producers, theatres and agencies. He oversaw marketing efforts for Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group[4] and was a production assistant for several films and TV series.[6]

His Broadway productions include Indecent and revival of Spring Awakening and co-productions include Macbeth starring Alan Cumming, "Significant Other", The Band's Visit, and Torch Song.[4][7][8]

When Lassen joined the production of the Deaf West Theatre revival of Spring Awakening in 2015, it premiered at Inner-City Arts' Rosenthal Theater in L.A. Under his production management, the show went on to win six Ovation Awards (with 15 nominations), including best musical in two categories, intimate theater and large theater. The latter was won by Lassen together with the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and Deaf West Theatre.[1]

Lassen teamed up with producers Ken Davenport and the Deaf West Theatre,[9] and transferred the show from the 99-seat Los Angeles production to Broadway in just 366 days, an unprecedented feat.[10] The production opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in September 2015.[9] For the show, performed in both American Sign Language and spoken English,[11] the producers were honored with the Champion of Change Award by the New York Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities for their "efforts to increase diversity and inclusivity on Broadway."[12] The show was a success on Broadway and was even performed at the White House.[13]

He partnered with Daryl Roth to transfer the critically acclaimed Paula Vogel play Indecent to Broadway in the 2016/17 season[14] where it was honored with two Tony Awards for Best Direction and Best Lighting, and nominated for Best Play.

Lassen's upcoming projects include How I Learned To Drive, a Pulitzer-winning play by Paula Vogel opening on Broadway in 2020, with much of the original cast and creative team from its off-Broadway debut 23 years prior, Alice By Heart, a new musical by Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson, premiering at MCC Theatre in February 2019;[15] and Some Lovers, a new musical by Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater opening at the Adirondacks Theatre Festival in June 2018.[16]

Other activities

Cody serves on the board of New York's Vineyard Theatre and is a member of The Broadway League, the National Association of Musical Theatre and the Travel and Tourism Research Association.

He serves as Vice-chair of the board of GLAAD, an LGBT advocacy organization.[17]

Private life

Lassen lives in New York.[5]

Productions

Recordings
  • 2021, Some Lovers (musical) (Concept Album), Producer
  • 2019, Alice by Heart (musical) (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording),[19] Executive Producer
  • 2017, Indecent (Original Broadway Cast Recording),[20] Executive Producer

Awards and nominations
  • 2015: winner of a Champion of Change Award for Spring Awakening[12]
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2015 Ovation Award Best Musical - Intimate Theatre Spring Awakening Won
2015 Ovation Award Best Musical - Large Theatre Spring Awakening Won
2016 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Musical or Revue Spring Awakening Nominated
[18]
2016 Tony Award Best Revival of a Musical Spring Awakening Nominated
[18]
2017 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical or Revue Indecent Nominated
[18]
2017 Tony Award Best Play Indecent Nominated
[18]
2018 Tony Award Best Musical The Band's Visit Won
[18]
2019 Tony Award Best Play What The Constitution Means To Me Nominated
[18]
2019 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Play What The Constitution Means To Me Nominated
[18]
2019 Tony Award Best Revival of a Play Torch Song Nominated
[18]
2019 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical Tootsie Nominated
[18]
2019 Tony Award Best Musical Tootsie Nominated
[18]

References
  1. Jessica Gelt (10 November 2015). "Ovation Awards 2015: Wins for Deaf West's 'Spring Awakening,' Circle X's 'Trevor'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  2. "The Tony Award Nominees - All Categories". TonyAwards.com. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  3. Cyd Zeigler (18 March 2015). "Gay Notre Dame students can buy football tickets for their spouses". SB Nation. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  4. "Businessman on Broadway: Cody Lassen (SNL '06)". DePaul Magazine. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  5. "Cody Lassen (Malibu, CA) (May 2013 Present)". GLAAD. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. "Cody Lassen". IMDb. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  7. "Jenny Sterlin and Brendan Titley Join Alan Cumming in MACBETH; Performances to Begin 4/7". Broadway World. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  8. "The Company". Macbeth on Broadway. 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  9. Gordon Cox (7 July 2015). "Deaf West's 'Spring Awakening' Snags Broadway Theater for Fall Run". Variety. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  10. Maureen Lee Lenker (11 August 2015). "Deaf West's Spring Awakening: From 99-Seat to Broadway". This Stage Magazine. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  11. Tom Millward (14 December 2015). "Matlin & Manheim to depart Spring Awakening early". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  12. Joe Gambino (20 October 2015). "Spring Awakening Producers Honored for Inclusion and Diversity on Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  13. "SPRING AWAKENING's White House Performance Will Be Live-Streamed on 11/18". Broadway World. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  14. League, The Broadway. "Cody Lassen – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  15. "New Duncan Sheik Musical 'Alice by Heart' Sets World Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  16. "SOME LOVERS — Adirondack Theatre Festival". www.atfestival.org. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  17. "GLAAD's Board of Directors". GLAAD. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  18. "Cody Lassen, producer". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  19. "Cody Lassen, executive producer". Playbill. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  20. "Cody Lassen, executive producer". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.