Harriet Newman Leve is a Tony-winning Broadway producer with such hits under her belt as Stomp and The 39 Steps. Both shows have stepped and stomped into theaters locally thanks to Broadway in Chicago. Leve took a load off her feet to sit with Windy City Times.
Windy City Times: Hi, Harriet. Let's talk about your show coming to town.
Harriet Newman Leve: Yes, we are rolling into Chicago!
WCT: Have you been to Chicago before?
Harriet Newman Leve: I went to Indiana University and, for fun and excitement, we would drive to Chicago. So I love Chicago; of course, I have been living in New York for quite a while as well as California. I did live in the Midwest for a little bit and appreciate Chicago.
WCT: How was switching from producing in New York to L.A?
Harriet Newman Leve: I started out first producing in L.A.; then I came to New York to produce there.
WCT: You have a huge body of work.
Harriet Newman Leve: [ Laughs ] I know. I love it. I found my profession in life. This is my third career but this is such a good fit that I could retire and stop doing this but I can't think of anything that I like doing more so I just keep doing it.
WCT: That's great. Describe 39 Steps to people who don't know about the show.
Harriet Newman Leve: It is an amazing show that takes Alfred Hitchcock's movie and really performs it in its entirety. It does it in such a funny, affectionate, hilarious, amazing way, where we have four characters playing over 150 roles. It is breathtaking and totally entertaining. It is for people of all ages. Young and old people love it. It is a show that appeals to many people. That's why we have had so much success with it for so many years.
WCT: I just recently saw Stomp and I really liked it.
Harriet Newman Leve: Thank you. Stomp enabled me to be an independent producer. It has done so well.
WCT: You won a spot in the 10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz award in 2009.
Harriet Newman Leve: Yes. How did you know that?
WCT: A little bird told me.
Harriet Newman Leve: [ Both laugh ] Well, I did, this past year. It was given by Power Up! This is a group that concentrates mostly on film but can be broader based. Ever year they give an award to women in show business around the country. Lily Tomlin has gotten it before. If you go to their website you can see who has gotten these awards before. They can be actors, directors, writers and producers—the full spectrum.
WCT: I love Lily. I am talking to her later on this week.
Harriet Newman Leve: I am working on a project with her. Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin and I produced a play off-Broadway called Beebo Brinker. I went ahead and got the rights to the five novels that were the basis for this play. Lily, Jane and I pitched it to HBO and they have given us a development deal for a half hour television series. We are in development but it has not been green-lighted yet.
WCT: Sounds interesting...
Harriet Newman Leve: Lily, Jane and I will be executive producers on it. The other producer is Carolyn Strauss, who used to be with HBO. It is really interesting how my core is in theater but somehow my theater experience is then translated to film because I am also one of the producers of the film PULSE: a Stomp Odyssey. That emanated from the work that I did on the stage production of Stomp. The film won the award of best IMAX film the year that it came out. We took Stomp as the guide and traveled all over the world, capturing rhythm and dance. It is really quite amazing how it came out. It has been quite a journey.
WCT: What other projects are you working on?
Harriet Newman Leve: I have two shows on Broadway. I formed a company called Raise the Roof with three other women Broadway producers. We produced four shows, which two of them are still running, La Cage Aux Folles, with eleven Tony nominations, and the other is A Little Night Music, with four Tony nominations. We also did Superior Donuts, which very much speaks to Chicago, because it was Tracy Letts who wrote August: Osage County.
WCT: Osage started at the Goodman Theatre. I saw the tour version of it.
Harriet Newman Leve: We are also producers on Burn the Floor. This is going to be on a very terrific tour. We expect it to do quite well.
WCT: That is coming here. I am excited to see it.
Harriet Newman Leve: Right now we have 39 Steps on the road. It is currently in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson, which is quite prestigious. I went there for the opening a few weeks ago. It went really well. I have my fingers crossed that the same will happen in Chicago.
WCT: I am sure it will!
The local production of 39 Steps will run at the Bank of America Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, May 19-30. Visit www.broadwayinchicago.com or call 312-977-1700 for information.
