Scott Sanders (producer)

Infobox_Person
name = Scott Sanders

birth_date = 1957
birth_place = St. Petersburg, Florida
occupation = Television producer and Theatrical producer
nationality = American
known_for = "Elaine Stritch: at Liberty" '"The Color Purple: The Musical", and the revitalization of Radio City Music Hall in New York City
alma_mater =University of Florida [College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida [http://www.jou.ufl.edu/alumni/2000s.asp] ]
emmyawards = Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special

Scott Sanders is an Emmy Award and Tony Award- winning American television producer and theatrical producer. He is best known for the theatrical musical version of Alice Walker’s novel "The Color Purple," of which he was Lead Producer along with Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, and Harvey Weinstein, for producing "Elaine Stritch: at Liberty," and for his work on numerous musical and theatrical productions. cite news|author=John Fleming|title=Passion for ‘Purple’ has Local Roots|publisher="Saint Petersburg Times"|url= http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/01/news_pf/Floridian/Passion_for__Purple__.shtml Dec. 12, 2005 ]

Early Life

Sanders grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida and was a 1975 graduate of Gibbs High School in Pinellas County, Florida, which at the time was undergoing court-ordered desegregation, and to which he was bused. He was Class President at Gibbs. He is a 1979 graduate of the University of Florida. During college he worked as an intern in the advertising department of the St. Petersburg Times.

Career

Sanders began his career at Radio City Music Hall in New York, producing artists including Liberace, Sting, Diana Ross, and The Grateful Dead. He was Executive Producer there for 15 years and has been credited with reversing the venue’s steady decline after its near-bankruptcy in 1978. Sanders brought in rock concerts and popular cultural events including the Super Bowl halftime show and galas for President Bill Clinton. cite news|author=Miriam Kreinin Souccar|title=Showbiz insider takes the stage with new outfit|publisher="Crain’s New York Business"|date=2002-03-11|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83765710.html] Sanders co-founded and became president of Mandalay Television, [ "Playbill": Scott Sanders. [http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/whoswho/biography/15848.html] ] and executive produced six network series, including include “Young Americans”, starring Kate Bosworth, Ian Somerhalder, Katherine Moenning, and Michelle Monaghan; “Cupid,” “Mercy Point,” “Rude Awakening,” “Rick Reynolds: Only the Truth is Funny,” and “Penn & Teller: Don’t Try This at Home.” [ Internet Movie Database. Scott Sanders [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0761712/] ] His production company "Creative Battery" was responsible for solo Broadway shows by Elaine Stritch and the Barry Humphries character Dame Edna. [ Creative Battery, The Internet Broadway Database. [http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=96642] ] Sanders also was Executive Producer for Queen Latifah’s jazz album, “The Dana Owens Album,” which received a 2005 Grammy nomination. In 2007 he founded "Scott Sanders Productions," a film and theatrical production company based in New York City. [ Scott Sanders Productions [http://www.scottsandersproductions.com] ]

"The Color Purple"

Sanders had read Walker's book and wanted to produce it as a musical. The project took over eight years to realize, partly due to the reluctance of Pulitzer Prize winner Walker to give permission for the adaptation of her novel. Walker was eventually won over by Sanders, and gave her permission and support. [ "One man’s quest for the colour of success." "Sydney Morning Herald." [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/23/1087845000781.html] ] Sanders thought that it had similarities to “Fiddler on the Roof” – "a community of people that the audience would follow over time," and told her so. [ Jim Higgins, “Inspiring Journey,” "The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel." Aug. 10, 2008 [http://www.redorbit.com/news/entertainment/1517227/inspiring_journey/] ]

"The Color Purple", which premiered at The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and opened at the Broadway Theatre in New York City in December 2005, had an all-black cast and Oprah Winfrey as an investor. [ "Alice Walker: Jazzed About Broadway." "Business Week", McGraw-Hill. [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_47/b3960099.htm] ] Sanders promoted the production with television advertising, and had hired Fantasia, an “American Idol” winner, for the lead role. [ Campbell Robertson, “A Black ‘Cat,’ Catching an Elusive Audience’" "The New York Times", March 20, 2008. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/theater/20cat.html?pagewanted=print ] ] The production was noted for its contribution to a “redefinition of the Broadway crowd,” a reference to its ability to attract a multi-racial audience. [ "‘The Color Purple’ draws diverse crowd." "CBS News", June 6, 2006. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/06/entertainment/printable1689627.shtml] ] Later, Sanders would describe the work of producing a musical as"wrestling an octopus, keeping all the puppies in the box," and the hardest thing he had ever done, "more white-knuckle than I'd like, and the most fun I'd ever had." [ Susan Berfield, "The Making of 'The Color Purple' - a Masterpiece Becomes a Musical," "Business Week", Nov. 21, 2005. [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_47/b3960093.htm] ]

Production Company

In 2007 Sanders started a production company,"Scott Sanders Productions," receiving funding from a private equity group which includes New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, David Kraft, Roy Furman, and Jim Fantaci, and signed a film deal with Disney. [ Zachary Pincus-Roth, "'Color Purple' Producer Sanders Partners with Disney on Film and Theatre Company," "Playbill", Mar. 21, 2007. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/106702.html] ]

Awards and Nominations

Sanders won a Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event in 2002 for "Elaine Stritch: At Liberty."

In 2004 Sanders won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special for "Elaine Stritch: At Liberty" (2002).

Sanders received a 2005 nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Queen Latifah's "The Dana Owens Album," a 2005 nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event for "Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance," and was nominated in 2002 for a Best Special Theatrical Event for "Elaine Stritch: At Liberty."

In 2006 "The Color Purple" was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, including
Best Musical for The Color Purple, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical,
Best Choreography, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Play, and Best Lighting Design of a Musical. [ Andrew Gans, "2005-2006 Tony Nominations Announced; Drowsy Leads Pack with 13 Noms," "Playbill", May 16, 2006. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/99697.html] ]

References

Further reading

* Dale Kawashima. “Brenda Russell Co-Writes the Songs for Hit Musical ‘The Color Purple,’ Receives Tony Award Nomination,” "Songwriter Universe Magazine" [http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/russellpurple-123.htm]
* "The Color Purple" Website [http://colorpurple.com/the_color_purple_musical.php]

External Links

* Scott Sanders on TV.com [http://www.tv.com/scott-sanders/person/32667/summary.html]