New York City
David Rothenberg’s one-man show, Namedropping, returns to the Mint Theatre. With 50 years of working in theatre under his belt, Rothenberg fashioned a charming evening of stories of his work with theatrical and film legends like Bette Davis, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, and Charles Boyer. From his unique perspective as a showbiz insider, Rothenberg shared some of the highlights of his fascinating career, giving audiences a taste of the bittersweet joys of a life in the theatre. The show is directed by Obie Award winning actress, Marcia Jean Kurtz.
David Rothenberg’s theatrical career took a dramatic turn when he produced Fortune and Men’s Eyes, a prison drama by John Herbert. That production led Rothenberg to start The Fortune Society (now in its 35th year), an organization which works with men and women coming out of prison. Rothenberg took an 18 year detour from theatre to serve as The Fortune Society’s Executive Director.
Namedropping was originally presented as a benefit performance for the Fortune Academy, an uptown residence for recently released convicts. When Rothenberg returned to theatre he represented such groundbreaking productions as Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, John Leguizamo’s Mambo Mouth and Blue Man Group until his retirement in 2001.