PEABODY — Ken Silverman — and 321 Theatrical Management — are on a roll.
The Peabody native and 1979 graduate of Veterans Memorial High School works as a general manager at the company, based in New York City, which has been managing Broadway shows, off-Broadway shows, and national and international tours for more than 20 years. And, hot on the heels of a win for Best Musical at the 2022 Tony Awards for “A Strange Loop,” 321 is again up for the award, with “Kimberly Akimbo” earning a nomination.
The Tony Awards will be held on June 11 at United Palace in New York City. While Silverman isn’t directly involved with the Broadway production of “Kimberly Akimbo,” he is set to work on the show’s national tour, which begins in Denver next year. Adapted from a play of the same name, the musical follows Kimberly, a young woman about to turn 16 who recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. There, she is “forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush…and possible felony charges,” a description of the show reads.
“Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure,” the description continues.
When “A Strange Loop” was announced as the winner during last year’s awards ceremony, Silverman could be seen sprinting onto the stage from his seat in the audience with the cast and company.
“This was my first time being on stage at the Tonys and it was just wonderful to have that moment to share with the entire company,” said Silverman. “It was such a great feeling. The award itself is a dream, but it’s validation of all the work that went into the show along the way.”
As far as “A Strange Loop” goes, while the characters and plot may seem unusual, Silverman says the overall message of the play could apply to anyone.
“It’s the story of a Black, queer man in New York just trying to make his own way,” Silverman said. “No, it wasn’t written for a straight, white audience, but it’s about owning yourself no matter who you are. Everyone deals with their own demons in their heads. It’s really a funny, serious and touching piece that challenges the audience every night.”
Silverman’s road to the big stage began at his childhood home on Coleman Street near the Northshore Mall.
After graduating from Peabody High in 1979, he headed west to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he majored in theater before graduating in 1983.
While at UMass, he learned acting was not for him.
“I acted in some plays as I had in high school, but acting just wasn’t the direction I wanted to go,” Silverman said. “I knew I needed to find something else.”
During his final semester, he took a work-study position as a stage manager for a Chicago theater company in New York City, handing out fliers in Times Square at discount ticket booths. He liked it so much he moved to the city in 1983.
A series of jobs followed. He answered phones at a couple of production companies, then became a production manager for a company doing mostly off-Broadway shows. There, he oversaw payroll and prepared box-office reports.
He moved up to assistant company manager for the Tony-award winning “Will Rogers Follies” and was on its national tour from 1992 to 1994.
“It was an amazing experience and was my chance to see the country,” Silverman said.
Shortly after returning to New York, he got a call from Disney, which was looking for someone to help with a theatrical production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
“I wasn’t doing anything else, so I said ‘Why not?'” Silverman said. “It started as a four-week commitment, but I ended up staying for 11 years.”
Along the way, he moved up to co-manager of the national tour for six months and soon was promoted to associate producer of Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, North American Tour and Worldwide, touring with the company to the United Kingdom, Korea, Tokyo and Madrid. He also served as project manager for “Aida” and company manager for “King David.”
In 2005, Silverman landed at 321 as engagement manager for North American tours of “Wicked,” “If/The,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” “Next to Normal,” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” He served as associate general manager for “Fun Home” (Broadway and national tour), “The SpongeBob Musical” (Broadway), and “Bring It On: The Musical” (Broadway and national tour). He also served as the U.S. marketing manager for international productions of “Wicked.”
Silverman said he’s never forgotten his Peabody roots and maintains many friendships to this day with his classmates from Peabody High. He credited the school’s theater program with inspiring him to chase his dream.
“Father Frank Toste was the department head and, honestly, I learned so many theater basics on how shows are put together from him starting in the 10th grade,” Silverman said. “He was so creative. One year we actually performed an original play he wrote at the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival. But I really learned from Fr. Frank that I was most comfortable being in the background. He gave me a very solid grounding that is still the foundation I live by.”
