UW-Madison alumnus nominated to chair National Endowment for the Arts

Rocco Landesman, a well-known Broadway producer and UW–Madison alumnus, has been nominated to be the next chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The White House confirmed Landesman’s appointment as chair of the NEA on May 13. Landesman, 61, brought many big hits to Broadway, such as “Big River,” “Angels in America” and The Producers,” as well as Tony Award winners “Jersey Boys,” “Into the Woods,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Death of a Salesman,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Proof.” He is also currently involved the revival of “Hair,” which also is nominated for a Tony.

Landesman is expected to lobby hard for more arts money, a priority set by President Barack Obama for 2010. The NEA is the largest and most important arts organization in the country. It is a major source of money for arts groups and organizations across the country, but has been regarded as a “sleepy bureaucracy” for some time.

The NEA’s budget is $145 million for 2009. Obama has requested $161 million for 2010, still short of the NEA’s peak of $176 million in 1992.

News of Landesman’s nomination rippled through the arts community. Landesman is a well-known leader on Broadway. In 2000, he created the $480 premium ticket for “The Producers,” a controversial move to combat ticket scalpers.

He is the current president of Jujamcyn Theaters, which owns and operates five Broadway theaters. Landesman became president of Jujamcyn in 1987 and then the company owner in 2005.

Landesman graduated in 1969 with a bachelor of arts degree in English from UW–Madison. He went on to receive his Ph.D. from Yale University, where he also served as an assistant professor for four years.

Landesman visited the UW–Madison campus in 2004, giving a public talk with fellow alumnus and Broadway producer Rick Steiner. Their talk was part of an innovative new course, “The American Film Industry in the Age of Television — The Madison Connection,” taught by communication arts professor Tino Balio.

If Landesman’s appointment is confirmed, he would serve as the 10th chair of the NEA.