Theater League is one of the country’s oldest continually presenting nonprofit theater companies. The brainchild of Mark Edelman, its mission is to “enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve with the thrill of live theater.”
Mark was born in Kansas City, KS, and was active in the Jewish community growing up there. He became a bar mitzvah and was president of his USY chapter at Congregation Beth Shalom, a Conservative shul founded in 1878. He attended Washington University in St. Louis, and earned his law degree at the University of Missouri Law School and a master’s in journalism at Kansas University.
His mother’s family came from Hanover, Germany, where his grandfather, a retail businessman, had been rounded up after Kristallnacht. Fortunately his uncle worked for the Jewish Agency and was able to get papers for the family to go to Rotterdam and then finally to Cuba. From there, other family members in Kansas City sponsored the family to come to the United States.
He practiced law for a while, but his heart wasn’t in it. “You could say I’m a wannabe performer who won’t be,” he says with a laugh. He dabbled with acting on the stage and even formed a band called “Guns and Charoses,” which produced the CD “Gimme Some Latkes … and other musical chazerai.” Among the clever songs are “Don’t Worry, Keep Kosher” and “Proud Barry.”
But Mark had always loved theater and in 1976 he founded Theater League, a not-for-profit company that has continued to grow and reach out to communities across the country.
Mark’s first visit to Phoenix was in 1988 when he helped to present “Cats” at the Phoenix Symphony Hall. While he was there, he saw a huge hole in the ground across the plaza. He went over and introduced himself to Garry Moore, who was in charge of what was to be two theaters at the soon-to-be Herberger Theater Center. Mark immediately asked if he could rent one of the theaters when they opened – and that was the start of his Phoenix season, which continues to this day. From 1989 to 1993 he started with summer theater, an unlikely concept for Arizona. Then he moved to year-round presentations at a variety of venues. In 1997 the beautiful, newly renovated Orpheum Theatre became available. Theater League opened that theater with Carol Channing in “Hello, Dolly!” and has been there ever since with their major musicals.
Theater League, whose main offices are in Kansas City, now presents in 10 cities from Akron, OH, to Eugene, OR. They also have a program for youth called Theater ROcKs, which offers free and discounted tickets to students, as well as study guides and post-show talkbacks for a complete theatrical experience. In 2013 Theater ROcKs began a relationship with Big Brothers/Big Sisters by offering subsidized tickets to matches in Phoenix, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, Wichita and Kansas City. Mark is very proud of the program. “We are helping bring a love and a passion for the performing arts to a whole new generation of patrons,” he says.
In addition to presenting major Broadway tours, Mark occasionally produces some smaller shows. When he heard that “Old Jews Telling Jokes” was going to be available, he quickly contacted the New York producers to get the rights. He’s starting the show at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks, CA, March 5-15, then bringing it to Stage West at the Herberger Theater Center March 19-29.
A much-simplified explanation of the difference between producing and presenting: Producing a show means you start from the ground up, choosing the artistic team, casting the show, creating the set, etc. Presenting means that someone else has done that work and you make the logistical and marketing arrangements. Mark has to admit that presenting shows means “a lot less tsuris.” He loves being able to stroll the lobby at intermissions and post-shows talking to patrons about the great time they’ve had. “It’s great to bask in the glory,” he says proudly.
But by producing a show, he can get even more involved. With “Old Jews Telling Jokes” he’s had great fun going through the script, deciding which jokes will stay, which will go and developing all the artistic elements.
As far as his own desires to be on stage, other than his pre-show curtain speeches, he contents himself from time to time with helping his brother, Alan, who is associate director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, in chanting services at senior living homes. Mark resides in Kansas City with his wife, Karin, who often travels with him. Last month they celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first date and their 33rd wedding anniversary. His two children, Charlie, 31, and Risa, 29, reside in Washington, D.C.
For additional information on the theater, visit theaterleague.com.
