Richard Winkler: Focusing Lights on Broadway Producing

Broadway producer (and former lighting designer) Richard Winkler shares how he pivoted from a 35-year design career into producing, raised his first six figures amid the 2008–09 crisis, and is now co-leading the new musical Three Summers of Lincoln—from commissioning Joe DiPietro to casting Brian Stokes Mitchell and steering the show through La Jolla toward Broadway. Below is an insight into some of the topics covered in this Podcast.

How did Richard Winkler transition from lighting designer to Broadway/West End producer, and what were his first steps?

Richard spent 35 years designing lights for theatre and opera (assistant to Theron Musser on A Chorus Line), but at age 60 he walked away from 8am–midnight tech weeks and leaned into producing. The spark traced back to A Chorus Line: touring with Baayork Lee, he watched producers squander time and money and thought, “I want to be a producer.” His first true producing reps came with the 2008 NYMF spoof Idaho, where he learned fundraising, contract negotiation, and coordinating design/tech—winning multiple festival awards. That same year Jamie deRoy offered him four Broadway opportunities. He passed on Impressionism (hated the artwork) and Desire Under the Elms (not his taste), decided Reasons to Be Pretty wasn’t commercial, and chose Sonia Friedman’s London transfer The Norman Conquests. Terrified by the $100K raise, he nonetheless brought in $145K in about three weeks—during the 2008–09 financial crisis. The success validated his instincts and network and led directly to his next show, Memphis.

What did he learn about raising money, and how do co-producer thresholds and billing actually work?

For Richard, money moves when someone with credibility can tell the story, excite prospects, and connect subject matter to the right investors. Early on, he relied on friends-of-friends and investor referrals; later, his reputation helped open doors. He emphasizes that every show is its own entity—budgets, risk, and timing vary. Common thresholds: $250,000 buys co-producer billing (sometimes splittable into $125K + $125K). Smaller units for individual investors might be $25K, and they can invest in non-25K increments (e.g., $30K or $40K). Billing tiers scale with contribution—more raised, higher placement among producers. Crucially, money raised at earlier stages (readings/workshops/pre-pre-Broadway) often earns better financial terms (“one-for-one,” “one-for-two,” etc.) if the show ultimately recoups, because that capital arrives before there’s proof in reviews or audience response. Richard’s Memphis anecdote shows the craft: after a rehearsal visit ran 45 minutes long, his prospect pledged $200K; in six weeks Richard grew from $40K to $465K and received billing as if he’d raised $500K—then Memphis won the Tony.

What is Three Summers of Lincoln, and how is it being built (team, timeline, financing)?

Richard is co-lead producing Three Summers of Lincoln, a new musical about Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass—framed around freedom, democracy, and the right to vote. He and partner Alan conceived it in late 2020 (pandemic downtime), commissioning book writer Joe DiPietro (initially skeptical until a galvanizing call with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin). Lyrics are by DiPietro and Daniel J. Watts (a Memphis alum and spoken-word artist); music is by Crystal Monét Hall (an acclaimed vocalist/arranger debuting as a Broadway composer). Director Chris Ashley (Memphis, Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse) signed on. Casting includes Brian Stokes Mitchell as Lincoln (his Broadway return after eight years), with Quentin Darrington and Carmen Cusack also attached. Development to date: a three-week industry workshop in December, subsequent rewrites, a choreographic work session, and multiple principal contracts executed. Rehearsals at La Jolla begin January 7 (first fully staged production). Financially, Richard refuses to accept a Broadway budget “with a 2 in it” (targeting ~$18–19M, not $20M+). La Jolla requires ~$3M “enhancement” plus about $1.2M of additional enhancement costs—and, as he puts it, “the enhancement to the enhancement” (~$1.2M more) for legal, GM, and above-LORT design costs. Money raised for La Jolla rolls into the Broadway capitalization as part of developmental spend.

What are Richard’s producing principles—choosing projects, theaters, and partners—and what pitfalls has he seen?

He only signs on if he loves the work—whether for artistry, to support colleagues, or because it’s likely to generate “shekels” he can reinvest. He champions the maxim: the life force of a show must be larger than the theater it inhabits; put a show in too big a house and it can feel small, hurting its chances. Conversely, the right match can be electric. He’s candid that greatness and commerciality are different axes: a show can be great yet not commercial, and vice versa. He values trusted executives; for Lincoln, he hired Junkyard Dogs (Sue Frost, Randy Adams, Kenny and Marlene Alhadeff)—the team behind Memphis and Come From Away—as executive producers to “help steer the ship.” On the cautionary side, he recalls a production derailed by a dysfunctional lead producer; even a commercial, artistically strong show can fail if leadership is chaotic or reckless. Lesson: surround the project with respected adults in the room, and be rigorous about venue, budget, and process.

For aspiring producers, what are the actionable takeaways about timelines, roles, and professionalism?

Expect seasons of singular focus: right now Richard spends nearly all his time fundraising until the La Jolla goal is met (he says they’re about halfway there). Upfront, lead producers shoulder entity creation, legal work, early commissioning, and seed costs; as shows progress to workshops and out-of-town, new investors join under better terms, and some become co-producers at the $250K level (occasionally split). The co-producer agreement legally binds a raise target and timeline, so don’t sign commitments you can’t meet. For scale: readings/workshops are relatively modest; La Jolla needs millions in enhancement; Broadway capitalization targets the high-teens (for Lincoln). Craft matters: strong books are the Achilles’ heel of many musicals, so development must be thorough. And finally, show up professionally—Richard’s follow-up note to a listener emphasized appropriate dress and presence when you’re “being the producer.” Relationships, genuine enthusiasm, and consistent showing up—at rehearsals, presentations, and investor meetings—are the quiet superpowers that turn ideas into opening nights.

Key Insights

• Richard shifted from lighting design to producing at age 60, leveraging decades of theatre knowledge.

• His first big raise: $145K in three weeks during the 2008 financial crisis.

• Fundraising = storytelling: connect the right investors to the right material.

• Co-producer billing usually starts at $250K, often with better terms for early money.

• Memphis showed him the power of investor access—turning small interest into a $200K commitment.

• Three Summers of Lincoln is set for La Jolla in 2025, aiming for Broadway with an ~$18–19M budget.

• Success depends on matching a show’s energy to the right theatre and surrounding it with trusted partners.

• Professionalism and showing up consistently are key producer traits.

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This episode of the Artistic Finance podcast is hosted by Ethan Steimel.