Alexander Baron has an impressive number of accomplishments to his name. He is part of the producing team of the Broadway-bound show Half Time helmed by Tony Award-winning legendary director Jerry Mitchell. He wrote and produced the play Love Behind Bars and executive produced Vote for Me off-Broadway. Plus, most recently he is inspiring the next generation of theater through a new app he created called Broadway Connected. The app links theater lovers and industry professionals all around the world.
How old would you guess Baron to be? 40? 35? 29?
Alexander Baron is 21. And he is still a junior at The Pennsylvania State University. How does he do it and what advice can he offer? Baron shared his story:
Jeryl Brunner: When did you know you had to be a producer and app creator and work in entertainment?
Alexander Baron: In the tenth grade, I wrote a one-act play and submitted it to the Manhattan Repertory Theatre. That Fall of 2013 when the show ran for five performances, I realized that I loved producing. It gave me a welcome combination of theater with business. At the time, I met many people intrigued by my age and passion and gained so much knowledge.
The following summer, I produced my first off-Broadway show Vote for Me: A Musical Debate which ran for several sold-out performances at the Roy Arias Theater. These projects allowed me to begin building an arsenal of experience while making industry connections along the way. In 2015, I enrolled in Penn State. With my passion for producing, wanting to be an entrepreneur and relying so much on social media for all my news, I realized there were pieces missing in theater’s social media. Then in 2016, I began to work on Broadway Connected Inc. Knowing my demographic is all ages and increasing in the younger community, I felt I could create something unique.
Brunner: Can you talk more about what inspired you to create Broadway Connected?
Baron: I was inspired through my love of theater, social media, and business. I experienced a lack of transparency within the theater industry. And with the wealth of information available today, I envisioned a solution and wanted to collate it all in one place. Due to the live performance nature that our industry revolves around, my mission is to build a solution that allows for anyone to be involved with our theater community globally.
Live performances let people see actors up close, but doesn't provide the continuations of the show and its actors, producers, and all involved. The knowledge of this information will increase collaboration and improve the allure of theater. Hamilton has created many new theatergoers. It brought a new audience and sparked a social media phenomenon.
Brunner: What does Broadway Connected do?
Baron: I strive for our technology to educate, influence, and connect the very industry and community of people that have inspired me for years. Currently Broadway Connected offers users the ability to stay up to date on shows on and off Broadway. It also provides information on readings and other public events along with casting and nationwide production announcements. People can create profiles and connect with other users, share original articles and event content. Plus there is access to an industry calendar and a daily question which allows users to increase their Geek Streak.
Brunner: How cool that you are still a student at Penn State University. Does the school support you?
Baron: At times, it is a challenge to keep a healthy balance. The faculty of the School of Theater has been incredibly supportive since day one. Especially Travis DeCastro, the Associate Director of Production and the head of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Stage Management program. Travis has been an extraordinary mentor and sounding board.
Brunner: What would you tell people who have a dream, but think, who would listen to me? Or I have no money and there are so many talented people out there, how could I possibly thrive?
Baron: One of my favorite Disney quotes is, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Everyone can be a dreamer, but not everyone will be determined. Your grit will be the driving force that will make your dream a reality. If your passion is true and you remain steady in your knowledge of the dream, it is totally possible.
The first step is conquering the “I can do it” attitude. Nonetheless, acknowledge you need constructive criticism. Yet push through the negative critics. On many nights, I placed my head on my pillow and said: “Wow, this is hard.” I cannot describe the amount of times I have pitched a project and received negative feedback. It will not be easy a lot of the time. However, you have to remain focused on your dream. Building something successful has many layers and doesn’t happen magically. If you believe in yourself and your idea, there should be nothing that will stop you from moving forward. When you stand still, it makes it easy for someone to push you backward. Believe in yourself, that is the first step towards success.
Brunner: How do you raise money?
Baron: There are several ways to raise money for projects and startups. My first experience with was raising close to $25,000 on Kickstarter and outside proceeds for Vote for Me. Let people know your dream and make feel your passion for your project. Don’t just talk about your dreams and vision, let them see you working at it. Don’t just tell them, show them.
Brunner: What is your approach on starting a business entirely from scratch? What advice do you have for staying the course?
Baron: When diving into Broadway Connected initially, I focused on the goals of the app and did lots of research and explored the theater industry. I knew what was missing on theater social media and set out to bring my ideas into Broadway Connected.
New business ventures are incredibly uncertain. Planning is key to success. Once your plan is mapped out, focus on that plan and refine as you go. Think: Plan—> Focus—> Refine—> Focus—>.
Always focus on the solutions and not the problem. You will come across many obstacles. The key is to make solutions happen. A requirement for the entire process is to keep moving. You must be focused on your goals and accomplishing tasks. Keep moving forward.
