For 13 years, Tony Nicosia brought Broadway to the 1,800-seat Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Theatre.
He spent most days on the phone, convincing producers of high-profile musicals like “Mamma Mia” and “Jersey Boys” that Scranton is a perfect setting and the shows would draw large crowds.
On Saturday, the Dunmore native was the star of the show, as more than 150 people packed Shopland Hall at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple to celebrate his 13-year run as executive director of the Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Nicosia retired in September.
“We had to convince them that (Scranton) is a great city and then hope they would take a chance on it,” he said. “Luckily, we got them in here and it was great.”
When he arrived in 2001, Mr. Nicosia focused on restoring the organization’s finances.
It costs between $150,000 to $400,000 to bring a show to Scranton, and — at the time — the organization was millions of dollars in debt. Donations, ticket sales, fundraising and advertisements in the playbills played a critical role in boosting the organization’s finances, he said.
Reflecting on his career, Mr. Nicosia said his proudest accomplishment was bringing “Jersey Boys” to Scranton.
“My vision was to get them out of the red and bring quality Broadway shows to Scranton to make the people happy,” he said.
Laurie Cadden, who is the acting executive director, organized the event to honor Mr. Nicosia and recognize all of his accomplishments.
She said one of her goals is to increase the number of people who purchase season tickets.
“I want people to realize what they have here,” she said. “It’s like New York, but without the drive.”
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miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter