Gary Waldman is known nationally as an entertainment industry impresario, artist agent and manager, producer, director, playwright, composer, lyricist, singer, actor, & concert performer. His 30+ year career in professional “show business” has led him down virtually every path imaginable. His 2005 production and total recreation and re-direction of Cy Coleman’s Broadway musical, THE LIFE (click for video) ran sold-out from an anticipated six-week to an unprecedented eight-month run in Palm Beach and garnered Nineteen Award Nominations, including four for Waldman himself. Other very special credits include producing and directing the off-Broadway premiere of the smash-hit musical-comedy SOPHIE, TOTIE & BELLE.
Gary conceived & directed several professionally produced musicals, writing the original music, lyrics and full libretto to SNOWBIRDS, BUNGALOW BUNNIES, MEET ME AT THE PITKIN, and MIDLIFE MADNESS and the concept and unique arrangements to several composer tributes (uniquely conceived as pop-operas) including I WRITE THE SONGS, HEY BIG SPENDER & THE SOUNDS OF SIMON.
Directing credits include: THE LIFE, SNOWBIRDS, BUNGALOW BUNNIES, the off-Broadway (and several regional) productions of SOPHIE, TOTIE & BELLE , PERFECT HARMONY, MIDLIFE MADNESS, NAKED BOYS SINGING! (with his direction lauded by the Miami Herald as “almost Disney-esque!” as compared to the sexually suggestive off-Broadway production), ME & JEZEBEL starring Jim Bailey as Bette Davis, BUNGALOW BUNNIES, PICKLES, BUBBE MEISES-BUBBE STORIES, THE SOUNDS OF SIMON, THE LAST SESSION, FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE and countless others in every theatrical form (musical, play, proscenium, black box, thrust and in-the-round).
Performing on-stage since the age of six, Gary is best known for creating the lead role of Izzie Jacobson in the 7yr National tour of PAVED WITH GOLD (every performance!) receiving ravishing reviews nationwide and generating an enormous following. He appeared off-Broadway in SOPHIE, TOTIE & BELLE, and regionally (or touring) in THE SOUNDS OF SIMON, I WRITE THE SONGS, THE LAST SESSION, HEY BIG SPENDER, and played the title role in JESTING WITH DANNY KAYE to rave reviews. Gary can be heard on the original cast album of PAVED w/GOLD several recordings with the tribute band 1:01 and on various 'cult' recordings and websites. Much of his work can be seen in video clips at www.YouTube.com/GaryWaldman.
As a businessman, Gary ran several National Tours, and operated five venues (one of which he supervised [w/partner Jamison Troutman] the entire construction from scratch). Producing credits: all of the above plus 2005's, JIM BAILEY IS BARBRA STREISAND IN CONCERT (FAU Main Auditorium), LOVE LETTERS (starring Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson), PUNCH ME IN THE STOMACH, SEYMOUR GLICK IS ALIVE, BUT SICK (co-written with the legendary Steve Allen), PERFECT HARMONY, NAKED BOYS SINGING!, and countless others; concerts and/or special events/independent projects featuring legendary concert artists, Vladimir Horowitz, Yo Yo Ma & Itzhak Perlman; public figures including Donna Hanover Giuliani, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), NYC Mayor Ed Koch, and U.S. Representative Gary Ackerman (D-NY); stage and screen stars, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, Joan Rivers, Judy Collins, Steve Allen, Patty LuPone, Michelle Lee, Valerie Harper, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Jim Bailey, Marilyn Michaels, Tovah Feldshuh, Lou Jacobi, Jeanie Tracy, Noa, Theodore Bikel, Mike Burstyn, Donna Murphy, Bruce Adler et al; Broadway legends and pioneers, Stephen Sondheim, James Lapine, Paul Gemignani, Cy Coleman & Ira Gasman … the list growing almost daily!
Gary is proud to have produced and managed his dear friend, the legendary singer/actress LAINIE KAZAN from 1994-1996.
