Paul Wontorek

Paul Wontorek (born c. 1972/1973)^[1] is an American theater personality, journalist, host and editor-in-chief at Broadway.com.^[2]

Paul Wontorek
Born	(1972-05-29) May 29, 1972 (age 52) Maryville, TN
Alma mater	Fordham University
Occupation(s)	Editor-In-Chief at Broadway.com, Inc. VP of Content & Creative at Broadway.com, Inc.
Known for	Celebrity journalism
Notable work	Show People with Paul Wontorek, The Broadway Show
Relatives	Thomas Wontorek (father); LaVonne Wontorek (mother); Marc Wontorek (brother)
Website	www.broadway.com

Early life and education

Wontorek grew up in New Haven, Connecticut and was involved in theater during high school. At 18, he began school at Fordham University in New York City as a journalism major and wrote for the school's newspaper, The Fordham Observer.^[3] In 1991, he interned at TheaterWeek magazine. After graduating, Wontorek worked as a graphic designer. Concurrently, he founded the musical-theater magazine, Upstage.^[1]

Career

Early in his career, Wontorek was a freelance reporter for InTheater Magazine and Entertainment Weekly.^[4] He also worked as a stage manager on small musical theater productions in New York^[5][6] and was contracted for design work for various cast albums.^[7] In 2010, Broadway.com was bought by Key Brand Entertainment from Hollywood Media Corp^[8] for approximately $45 million.^[9]

Wontorek runs editorial at Broadway.com. He hosts the online shows Show People with Paul Wontorek^[10] and The Broadway.com Show.

Wontorek made his Broadway debut in The Prom, opening the May 14, 2019 performance. He replaced the Broadway red carpet reporter character Olivia Keating, normally played by cast member Courtney Balan, interviewing Dee Dee Allen (Beth Leavel) at opening night of her musical Eleanor: The Eleanor Roosevelt Musical.^[11]

References

1. "How Broadway.com editor Paul Wontorek made Broadway click". Stage-Rush.com. February 16, 2011. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved 2016-05-10. Wontorek, 38...
2. "Broadway.com, Inc.: Private Company Information". Businessweek. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved 2016-07-04.
3. "Fordham University Libraries Digital Collections". www.library.fordham.edu. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
4. "Paul Wontorek". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
5. Willis, John, ed. (1996). "The Ball". John Willis Theatre World 1993-1994 Season Volume 50. Applause Theatre Book Publishers. p. 95. ISBN 1-55783-235-8. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
6. Willis, John (2000-03-01). Theatre World 1994-1995. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781557832504.
7. "Paul Wontorek | Credits". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2016-07-04.
8. "Key Brand Entertainment". www.kbeinc.net. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
9. "Hollywood Media Corp. Announces Completion of Sale of Broadway Ticketing Division". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2016-07-04.
10. "The Color Purple Star Cynthia Erivo on Dating Aladdin, Falling for Heather Headley & Playing Whoopi Roles". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
11. "Inside Look at a Broadway Debut! Go Backstage & Onstage at The Prom with Broadway.com's Paul Wontorek". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2019-05-15.