Accountant, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Broadway Executive Producer—Michael Kriak has experience in all of these positions and more. It was a spectacular opportunity and an honor to have him take time out of his busy schedule to come to our class on November 27th to engage in a discussion about the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, how he secured the title of executive producer of the musical and what his responsibilities were, and some insight into projects and assignments he is currently collaborating on, particularly blockchain technology. Additionally, with the accomplishments of securing a Tony Award and being the former CFO and COO of Mashable, it felt like a historical legend was in the room with us during the discussion.
As Kriak reflected on his thoughts and experiences of Dear Evan Hansen, he stated one of the most amazing aspects of being involved and having his name attached to a highly-acclaimed Broadway musical is seeing the plethora of families with young children eagerly attending the musical every day. He explained how it is a remarkable sight to see the incredibly relatable, touching message of the musical connect to so many families and young children. For the children, in particular, Kriak further elaborated on how the musical may provide them knowledge and motivational advice for how to navigate the difficult transition into high school and adult life. It was intriguing to also here Kriak explain how his team had to adapt the musical to include references to social media and new trends to engage the interest and relatability to younger audience members, while also attracting the interest of older viewers as well.
The more entertaining, informative part of the discussion was hearing about Kriak’s experience in various business-related positions involving finance, accounting, operations, technology, and more. He mentioned how making connections through networking, staying well-informed about developments in the multiple industries, and continuing to pursue an interest in learning new material and skills were essential to securing the positions, relationships, and reputation he has earned. It is impressive how Kriak is continuing to explore new sectors and fields of interest with his new role in helping develop blockchain technology for media and marketing purposes. Listening to his experiences and the virtues he learned was not only inspirational but also a great testament for how people should utilize their time and energy to pursue beneficial causes to improve the well-being of society. I am incredibly thankful for both Professor Eversley inviting Kriak to our class and having him share his knowledge with all of us.
—Patrick Perrigo
I also really liked our conversation with Michael Kriak. Your post was very good and enjoyable to read because you structured it excpetionally well; from Kriaks accomplishments to your own thoughts about the conversation, the post was very easy to read.
I also thought that our conversation with Michael Kriak was very informative and inspirational. It was incredible to hear about his journey from a CPA to a Broadway producer. It showed how important it is to take opportunities and follow your passions. I agree with you that learning about his experiences in different industries was really motivational and helped show me how much is possible.
I found our conversation with Michael Kriak really interesting as well because of the way he conveyed his thoughts and interests. Although his life has been very involved in business, he didn’t stray away from taking part in activities that genuinely interested him- one of these activities being plays. Through his role as CFO as Mashable, he was able to tie his job with his interest and eventually become the producer of Dear, Evan Hansen. I look up to Kriak for the way he was able to demonstrate an interest in things that are not solely business related, such as Bitcoin, plays, and art. I am also grateful for the wisdom he bestowed upon us!