University at Buffalo School of Management

24 Buffalo Business | Alumni Impact M ark Shacket, BS '94, MBA '95, is the reason the party roars on even aer the audience leaves the theater aer a performance of "The Great Gatsby" on Broadway. Typically, at the end of a musical, the curtain falls, the orchestra plays a brief exit and the audience files out. For "The Great Gatsby," Shacket had other ideas. "Gatsby is known as a party, and it's a key element in our market- ing," he says. "There is a song about how the party roars on and on and on, but I felt the exit music didn't capture the ongoing celebra- tion. So, I asked our composer to extend the playout music, and we now jokingly refer to it as the Shacket playout." Every decision Shacket makes as partner at Foresight Theatrical and as executive producer for "The Great Gatsby" impacts the audi- ence's experience, whether in New York, on touring shows or in London's West End. Foresight Theatrical oversees the business operations of such shows as "Hell's Kitchen," the upcoming "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical," and the recently announced "Crazy Rich Asians." Shacket's work at the company helps artists in their cra — and he credits the School of Management for providing the supportive environment that led him to his career. "The breadth of opportunities at UB allowed me to get one of the best MBA degrees in the country while pursuing an interest in the arts," says Shacket. In addition to his work at Foresight, Shacket also serves on the board of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS — an industry-based, nonprofit fundraising and grantmaking organization that helps people receive lifesaving medications, food, health care, counseling and emergency financial assistance. He's also the co-founder of the annual Broadway Bets poker tournament, which has raised more than $2 million for the organization. Like Shacket, many School of Management alumni are making an impact at arts organizations around the world, bringing essential business skills and strategic thinking to creative industries such as dance, visual arts and more. Poised to make a difference Kendra Slatt, BS '06, is owner and executive director of Perfect Point Music and Dance Studios, with two locations in the suburbs of Washington D.C. "My management courses immediately helped me launch my studio aer graduation," she says. "I completed competitive analysis and demographic research, and we enrolled 250 students in our first year." Now, Slatt's studios have 850 students and provide a safe, nurturing space where aspiring performers can become confident and resilient. Her business background also helped her achieve a personal goal of making dance a sustainable career both for herself and those she hired to work at Perfect Point. "Dance can be a really hard industry in which to make a living wage or have long-term stability," she says. "Even the best performers Slatt Cultural catalysts How School of Management alumni are shaping the arts world By Alexandra Richter Mark Shacket, BS '94, MBA '95, in front of New York City's Broadway Theatre.

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