Elie Hirschfeld: Theater Passion

My goal is to share my passion for theatre through my personal story. With this website, I hope
to inspire you to engage in the arts and develop a lifelong passion, as I have.

        It began when I was a student at NYU Law School in the 1970s. My friends and I used
The Village Voice as a guide for weekend entertainment. In addition to movies, we began exploring local theatre. I immediately fell in love with it. As an audience member, you witness an actor’s transformation into his/her character. The heart, soul and dedication actors invest in their craft never fails to amaze me.

        As I matured, so did my passion for theatre. Thus, began an interest as a theater spectator, but also as an investor and co-producer. My initial investment was in Jackie Mason’s production of “Love Thy Neighbor” on Broadway. The show was a hit. Since then, Hirschfeld Productions has been involved in a plethora of highly acclaimed plays including Equus and Passing Strange.

Hirschfeld Productions’ most recent venture is Oleanna, which officially opens on Broadway
October 11th at the John Golden Theatre. The play, starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, was written by Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet and is directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes.

       In partnership with the Shubert Organization, I was involved in Passing Strange — my favorite production thus far. The play struck a personal chord with me. It described a young man’s
coming of age and his relationship with his mother as he matured. The show later became a
Spike Lee movie which won the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

        My support and passion for theatre extends beyond New York. Notably, I support
The B-Street Theater in Sacramento, CA, The Brown University Theater and The Trinity Repertory,
both in Providence, RI.

        On a personal note, I feel privileged to have worked with Shubert President
Jerry Schoenfeld on the Broadway productions of Passing Strange (2007-2008) and Equus
(2008) before his recent passing.

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