Jenny Gersten is reshaping musical theater at New York City Center—and she's not afraid to take risks. From programming Bat Boy as a gala to championing forgotten gems like High Spirits, the VP and Artistic Director of Encores! is proving that bold choices and passionate collaborators make magic happen. In this conversation, Jenny opens up about her legendary theatrical lineage, the brutal realities facing nonprofit theater, her unexpected detour running Virgin Voyages' entertainment, and why she believes community-building is the secret ingredient to great art. Plus: exclusive reveals about the 2026 Encores! season, including La Cage aux Folles with Billy Porter and Wayne Brady.

This is Game Changers—your backstage pass to the innovators transforming Broadway.

Director and Executive Producer
Katharine Quinn

Producer
Jake Ropka

Editor
Brian Truong

Associate Producer
Eli Tokash

Photographer and Production Assistant
Olivia Kuan Romano

0:00 Meet Jenny Gersten
8:45 Bat Boy Resistance
15:32 Theatrical Lineage
22:18 Williamstown
31:47 Selecting Encores! Shows
38:29 2026 Season Reveals
45:52 Virgin Voyages Era
53:16 Fixing Broadway
1:02:41 Heroes and Inspiration

Kicking off our Game Changer's Season 2 is Zhailon Levingston! Game Changers is the show where Broadway Marketer and Producer, Katharine Quinn, chats with current broadway professionals leading the charge in changing the industry.

Zhailon Levingston is a Louisiana-raised storyteller, director, and activist. He is a Board Member for the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, which he co-created, and teaches the Theatre of Change course at Columbia University.

Step into the rehearsal room with Zhailon Levingston, Broadway's youngest Black director and the visionary behind CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL. In this raw and revelatory conversation with producer Katharine Quinn, Zhailon opens up about directing on Broadway before 30, navigating neurodivergence in theater, and reimagining an iconic musical through the lens of ballroom culture. From sleeping on broken futons to making history, this is the story of an artist who's rewriting the rules—one boundary-pushing production at a time.

🎭 And That's Showbiz brings you behind-the-scenes access to the innovators transforming theater. Fan-forward. Digital-first. Unapologetically Broadway.

Catch CATS: The Jellicle Ball March 2026 at the Broadhurst Theatre!

In partnership with The Lights of Broadway Showcards (https://www.thelightsofbroadway.nyc/)

Director
Katharine Quinn

Producer
Jake Ropka

Editor
Brian Truong

The New York Times just reassigned Jesse Green, its longtime and only full-time theater critic — a move that could mark a turning point for arts journalism and Broadway coverage. But is this a thoughtful evolution… or a quiet dismantling of theater criticism as we’ve known it?

In this episode from And That’s Showbiz, Katharine Quinn is joined by two of the most insightful voices in the space: dramaturg and digital creator Kate Reinking and YouTube critic and commentator Mickey-Jo Boucher. Together, they unpack what this shift really means for the future of criticism, influence, and who gets to shape the cultural conversation.

They discuss:

• Jesse Green’s legacy — and the reviews that stuck with them (for better or worse)
• The rise of video, TikTok, and creator-driven theater commentary
• Whether the NYT is clearing space for new voices or phasing out criticism entirely
• What replaces the authority of a “Critic’s Pick” — and whether it still matters

This is an open conversation between three people who care deeply about theater and how we talk about it.

#JesseGreen #NYT #TheaterCriticism #KateReinking #MickeyJoBoucher #Broadway #ArtsJournalism #AndThatsShowbiz #DigitalCriticism #CriticsPick