Sue Wagner and John Johnson are starting their own production and general management company called Wagner Johnson Productions.
Wagner and Johnson are both longtime members of Joey Parnes Productions, which will continue to operate independently. The new venture, Wagner Johnson Productions, will take over general management of all of the Scott Rudin productions, which the Parnes office typically had managed, and will join Parnes and Lia Vollack as a co-producer on the “Almost Famous” musical.
“I have worked alongside Sue and John since they first began in this business, and it has been a great privilege to see them grow into the industry powerhouses they’ve become,” Parnes said in a statement. “I’m particularly thrilled that we will get to continue working together on ‘Almost Famous.’”
“Joey Parnes has been an incredible mentor and we feel very lucky to have learned from him and worked alongside him for the past 17 years. We’re deeply proud of our joyous past collaborations and we look forward to many more,” Wagner and Johnson said in a statement. “With this venture, we are, with total appreciation and gratitude, committed to continuing the legacy of the great producer/general managers who have inspired us personally and professionally. Most especially— Joey.”
Established in 1999, Joey Parnes Productions has won eight Tony Awards. It will continue to operate out of Manhattan and has new projects in development.