The moniker “producer” is commonly used in entertainment, though understanding what a producer does often seems unclear. In the Broadway sphere, the term is actually just one part of a full title — as there are multiple types of producers, each with different decision-making power and responsibility. “Producer” can actually refer to a lead, executive, co- or associate producer.
In November 2024, the Commercial Theater Institute (CTI) convened a panel, titled “Who’s Who in the Commercial Theater,” to help differentiate these roles. The Business of Broadway (BoB) is an organization that offers courses to clarify business terminology, practices and more with regards to the theater industry — including vocabulary around producing. BoB was founded and is run by producers Sammy Lopez, Erica Rotstein, Heather Shields and Rachel Sussman. Using CTI and BoB as resources, Broadway News outlines the duties of each type of producer.
