Mastering the Art of Arts Administration with BT McNicholl

The FREE session with BT McNicholl, the Producing Artistic Director of Tony-nominated La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in California, was recorded on January 7, 2025.

BT McNicholl has been an original member of creative teams beyond more than a dozen Broadway productions, including the Tony-Award winning BILLY ELLIOT, CABARET, and SPAMALOT, starring artists such as Neil Patrick Harris, Brooke Shields, John Stamos, Morgan Freeman, Kristen Chenoweth, Nathan Lane, and Alan Cumming. He has served as Associate Director to Oscar-winners Sam Mendes and Mike Nichols, as well as Broadway luminaries Jerry Zaks, Stephen Daldry, David Hare, and Rob Marshall. 

His work extends to Hollywood, where he has been associated with several feature films, including an Oscar-nominated project. Internationally, McNicholl has staged record-breaking productions in Paris, Madrid, and Sydney, winning the Australian Tony Award (the Helpmann) for Best Direction and staging the European premiere of THE PRODUCERS for Mel Brooks. A BMI Award-winning writer, he has created musicals that have played Off-Broadway, on national tours, and Madison Square Garden. 

He has also directed at the Hollywood Bowl and Radio City Music Hall. A highly regarded speech coach, he collaborated with Pfizer for ten years and has overseen scores of live corporate events. In family and themed entertainment, he has won two international “Brass Ring” awards (IAAPA) for shows that have run a combined total of 23 years – and counting. His additional expertise includes work as a Development Consultant for MGM On Stage, collaborations with the Shubert Organization, and writing for the Associated Press Newswire.

We thank BT for generously sharing his insights and expertise in arts administration and performing arts venue leadership. We are incredibly grateful for his participation. 

FAME GC’s programming relies on financial donations. If you are interested in making a donation, or sponsoring a future a Mastering the Art program, we would love to hear from you: info@famegc.org. 

To view previous episodes see our YouTube page.