Social Media Management

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Cell: 914-***-**** Email: *******@*****.*** LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/robertviagas

Master performing arts writer/editor, critic, news gatherer, pioneering entertainment website developer, and author and/or editor of 19 books on the performing arts, with more than twenty years’ experience in the New York market developing editorial content for all platforms, and with more than two million words in print. EXPERIENCE

Playbill Inc. New York, NY

Founding Managing Editor, Playbill.com August 1994 – Present

• Designed, implemented, and managed the first and still most extensive and most respected theatre news site on the web. Increasing advertising revenues now outstrip those of the company’s iconic programs. Wrote breaking theatre news and features on a daily basis for the next 24 years. Reconceived the nature of theatre news for the online world. Built it from startup to an industry leader.

• Hosted events on AOL and other online platforms, among the first of their kind in the industry.

• This project was just the first of a half dozen new strategies I implemented over the course of 24 years to build the Playbill brand, including Playbill Universe, Playbill Travel, etc. More listed below. Book Editor and Author/Playbill Books 2001 – 2015

● Founding editor of Playbill’s book division. Wrote and/or supervised production of major book projects. See list below.

Founding Program Director/Playbill Radio October 2001 – December 2008

• Managed the design, launch and implementation of 24-hour all-Broadway web radio outlet, PlaybillRadio.com

• Wrote news, hosted interviews and programmed the station.

• Hosted weekly show “Radio Playbill,” on Sirius Satellite Radio (later Sirius-XM). Pioneered show music in this format.

Program Editor/Playbill Inc. September 2002

– 2015

● Edited Playbill programs at various times for New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet and Houston Ballet, Opera Company of Philadelphia.

● Editor of the special Playbill for the Tony Awards 2002-2011. SELECTED BOOKS

On the Line: The Creation of “A Chorus Line” (Morrow/1989) with Thommie Walsh and Baayork Lee. Re- released in paperback to coincide with the 2006 Broadway revival. Was translated into Japanese and released in Japan.

The Amazing Story of “The Fantasticks” (Citadel/1990) with Donald C. Farber. Re-released in paperback to coincide with the 2006 Off-Broadway revival.

At This Theatre (Playbill Books/Applause/2001, 2010) with Louis Botto. Took over writing and editing the Playbill column of theatre history from founder Botto. Edited and co-wrote book-length collection of the column. Updated in 2010.

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I’m the Greatest Star! (Applause/2009) Short biographies of 40 top stars of Broadway musical history. Was adapted as a stage musical at Hofstra University.

The Alchemy of Theatre (Playbill Books/Applause/2006) Essays on collaboration. Was the subject of a sold- out forum with essayists Edward Albee, Hal Prince, Terrence McNally, et al at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. The Playbill Broadway Yearbook Series (Playbill Books/Applause/annual (2005-2015) College-style yearbook for the people who work on Broadway and their fans. Scales to Scalpels: Doctors Who Practice the Healing Arts of Music and Medicine (Pegasus/2012) with Lisa Wong. Available in Kindle edition, Audiobooks and was translated into Chinese and released in Taiwan. WEBSITES FOUNDED

Playbill.com, PlaybillUniverse.com, PlaybillTravel.com, etc. 1994

● Groundbreaking full-service theatre news and consumer information site that transformed theatre journalism.

Theatre.com/BroadwayOnline.com 1998

● Umbrella site for dozens of show websites.

EDUCATION

Hunter College, New York City To be completed December 2019 Master of Arts, Concentration: Theatre

Honors: Vera Roberts Foundation Fellowship.

New York University, New York, NY

Six credits toward Master of Arts, Concentration: English Language Literature. Hofstra University, Uniondale, NY

Bachelor of Arts, Concentration: Communications

Minors: Theatre, Chemistry, Biology. Served as Arts Editor of Hofstra Chronicle. Honors: Magna cum laude. ACTIVITIES

Tony Awards Nominating Committee 2012-2014

Deliberated and submitted nominations for the annual televised Broadway awards. Tony Awards Webcast 2002-2008

● Hosted or co-hosted live webcast of the red carpet and the awards ceremony. National Asian Artists Project 2009-present

● Advisory Board

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

● News reporting and editing; Project management; Public Speaking; Staff supervision and development; Website management; Editing and production of magazine content, online content, books, programs, publicity, promotional materials and correspondence; Press release writing; Theatre reviewing; Radio programming, scriptwriting, hosting and announcing; Television and radio hosting; PhotoShop; Quark; Various management softwares; Social media managing; Script writing.

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