The conversation with Michael Kriak was informative and interesting. He was genuinely excited to speak to students and to share his knowledge. He told us about his career as an accountant and how that led to him being a co-producer of Dear Evan Hansen. This play is about a young man who struggles to fit in society and then an event helps him fit in through lies. The play won a Tony Award in 2017.
The most interesting part of the conversation was the business behind producing a play. Dear Evan Hansen took 7 years to get on Broadway. Michael Kriak told us about the process of getting on Broadway the preliminary steps of going through Off Off Broadway and Off Broadway. This really made me wonder about all the plays that have many people working behind them and end up not making it to Broadway. There are thousands of actors and thousands of directors who simply do not make it. So, I asked Michael what these plays end up doing if it is clear they will never make it to Broadway. He explained that if the play is following this path, then directors and producers will try to restructure it and maybe change some ideas. This is very similar to a failing company that may have to restructure if they see that they are not doing well in their industry.
The conversation with Michael Kriak was one of the highlights of the semester. I found Michael’s enthusiasm very helpful in conveying his messages. Whether it was about blockchain or Dear Evan Hansen, his way of telling us information was very effective. I think this was because of his general attitude towards students. He wanted us to learn and to use the information he provided. Every question that we asked was answered fully and to the greatest extent. I think that in the future it would be really great for Seminar 1 Macaulay Baruch students to meet with multiple professionals like Michael. He shows us that art is relevant in all forms of professions. Speaking to professionals like Michael Kriak was especially enjoyable because we get to witness an individual who has majored in our business interests and then transitioned his knowledge to arts and production.
Overall, this experience was very enjoyable and I wish we had more time to talk to Michael Kriak and ask more questions about his journey.
