(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
Former Clear Channel Entertainment execs Brian Becker and Scott Zeiger have launched BASE Entertainment, a
producer, presenter, venue programmer, and operator involved in live, theatrical
entertainment and content on a worldwide basis, with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Partnered with Clarity Partners, LP, a Los Angeles-based
private equity firm, BASE Entertainment recently acquired
interests in numerous properties from Live Nation, including Andrew
Lloyd Webber's Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular, Cirque du Soleil's Delirium,
rights to build and operate two venues in the newly branded Planet Hollywood Las
Vegas' Resort & Casino and the Broadway-bound original musical Martin Short:
Fame Becomes Me.
"Brian, Scott and the management team at BASE are among the most successful
executives working in live entertainment today and have helped affect
significant changes in the industry including the creation of the largest
national networks for touring theatrical productions, music amphitheaters, live
entertainment sponsorships and specialized motor sports entertainment,"
said Stephen Rader, managing general partner of Clarity Partners. "We have
known the BASE team for over a decade and watched them develop these concepts
within the framework of Clear Channel Entertainment, SFX and PACE. We believe
the groundwork has been planted to create a pre- eminent live entertainment
vehicle."
"What a pleasure it is to be in business with BASE," stated Bernie Brillstein,
founding partner of Brillstein-Grey Entertainment and manager of actor/comedian Martin Short. "I'm impressed with the
honesty, integrity and efficiency with which they operate. The next show I do
and represent, I will be doing with them all over again."
"It takes an open and visionary mind to understand the kind of work we create.
With Brian and Scott, a trust has developed over the years that we've never had
with any other organization. Their creativity and dedication is in concert with
everything that Cirque du Soleil stands for and we will be working on many
projects in the future," said Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du
Soleil.
While many projects are in development, BASE Entertainment's current ventures include: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular – in partnership with Live Nation, which opens in late June at the Las Vegas Sands' Venetian Resort Hotel; Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort; Cirque du Soleil's Delirium; Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, which debuts on Broadway July 2006 after engagements in San Francisco, Toronto and Chicago; a joint venture with MBST Creative (a wholly-owned subsidiary of CKX, Inc), which will create theatrical and comedic attractions for Broadway, Las Vegas and touring markets; and Gordie Brown Comedy Show, which begins performances in August at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
"We are fortunate and very excited to have acquired such wonderful properties as
we launch our new company. These projects involve some of the most successful
and creative talent in the entertainment industry," said Becker.
"In addition to what we've announced, we have several exciting projects in
development," said Zeiger. "As our vision calls
for substantial creation of live entertainment, we're also thrilled to have Live
Nation as an ally, partner and friend as we build our platform." — Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
