The Wharton Center at Michigan State University has a new executive director. Eric Olmscheid succeeds Mike Brand, who has retired after 18 years leading the facility.
Olmscheid previously was director of programming at Des Moines Performing Arts.
He discussed his plans with WKAR’s Scott Pohl.
Interview Highlights
On how classical music fits into Olmscheid's vision for the Wharton Center
We've had the gamut of artists on that stage, and I want to continue that. We've enjoyed so many major legacy acts, but not only that, I think it's really important that we're also nurturing young, emerging artists and artists that our audiences may not know their name yet, but a year or two or five from now, when they're headlining with a symphony or introducing their own album, that we have already had them at one of our Wharton stages, so for me, it's balancing both.
On the performers Olmscheid wants to bring to Wharton
If you think about the hundreds and thousands of artists available, and then those who are wanting to be on tour, and there are so many pathways that we could go, I think the best thing for us to do is really look at how we connect in the community and what those artists look like. Now, I want to deliver some high level A-list artists, and the best of Broadway, and we will do that, but I think it's really important for us to go back to the who are we serving and how we're engaging them.
Interview Transcript
Scott Pohl: The bread and butter at the Wharton Center is the Broadway schedule. So, I wanted to ask you about setting up Broadway shows for 2023 and beyond. Are there shows already in place but unannounced that maybe you had nothing to do with booking? Let's start there.
Eric Olmscheid: Yeah, we book, and we're kind of 24 month-ish cycle on a regular basis. Mike Brand, my predecessor who's been here for 18 years and really built what we now know as the modern-day Broadway series at Wharton Center, has started conversations that go into 2023-24 and even 2024-25, but nothing is contracted or finalized yet. It's all dependent upon what is happening on Broadway, what is touring, so there's a lot of planning that goes into the mix 12, 24, 36 months in advance, and then as we near kind of that 12 to 24 month mark is when we really finalize, really put pen to paper and sign the contracts. So the team and I at Wharton Center are actively working on the 23-24 season right now, just returned back from New York this past week to see several shows that I had not yet seen that are in consideration for the 23-24 season, and we're kind of putting it all together right now.
The season that is opening just in September, of course, I inherited it, and Mike's vision was that season. And it's a really strong season to celebrate our 40th anniversary, so that's a really great way, my gift, that I feel like I was given a 40th anniversary season. That's beautiful, and then being able to pivot immediately right into the 23-24 season booking.
Pohl: The WKAR Radio audience will want to hear about how you'll approach the planning for classical music programing. Tell me about how you think classical music fits in with your vision for the Wharton Center.
Olmscheid: Well, classical music has been such an important piece of what we do since the day we opened. We have resident companies that really focus on classical music with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, the MSU College of Music, and other partners that bring us great classical, but then also that's augmented by other types of programing that we're bringing in, some of the A-list top of the game, classical artists.
We've had the gamut of artists on that stage, and I want to continue that. We've enjoyed so many major legacy acts, but not only that, I think it's really important that we're also nurturing young, emerging artists and artists that our audiences may not know their name yet, but a year or two or five from now, when they're headlining with a symphony or introducing their own album, that we have already had them at one of our Wharton stages, so for me, it's balancing both. I want to find a place where we continue the legacy acts, these big name artists that really want to really drive an audience and people that the audiences may know, but then also equally as important is that next generation, because who's fostering that next Itzhak Perlman, and who is the next Yo-Yo Ma, and who is the next Joshua Bell? We have to, I think, cultivate that, and there's no better place than an academic environment like Wharton Center to help elevate those artists.
Pohl: When you look to the first season that you will be booking shows for, do you have a dream? Is there a Broadway show that you're hoping to get for a week or more? Is there a one night only performer, that would be something to hang your hat on for your first season? What are your dreams?
Olmscheid: Well, my dreams are for our center to continue to grow and evolve and diversify, and I don't know that I'm prepared to give you one exact artist or one exact Broadway show. I have a matrix spreadsheet of many that I'm actively working on and considering, but I don't know if there's any one, because I think there are so many options, and it goes back to the intent of the why and who we're engaging.
So, I think it's really important for us to drive back home and say, okay, who are we connecting with, and why is this artist important for us to have on our stage, because there are so many worthy artists and it's so difficult to select. If you think about the hundreds and thousands of artists available, and then those who are wanting to be on tour, and there are so many pathways that we could go, I think the best thing for us to do is really look at how we connect in the community and what those artists look like.
Now, I want to deliver some high level A-list artists, and the best of Broadway, and we will do that, but I think it's really important for us to go back to the who are we serving and how we're engaging them.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
