NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Jonathan Hochwald has joined MSG Entertainment as executive vice president, productions, MSG Entertainment. He will serve as the chief operating officer and general manager of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular franchise worldwide, as well as working with the executive vice president of Business Development on creating and developing new productions produced by MSGE.
"MSG is New York’s premier entertainment and sports company, boasting an unrivaled set of assets, including our venues, teams, networks and live entertainment properties–all of which are in a strategic growth mode," said MSG Entertainment President Jay Marciano. "Within the entertainment division we are looking to expand our wholly-owned entertainment properties, such as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and the Rockette brand, in dynamic new ways. Jonathan’s experience in the live theatrical arena, combined with his unique creative perspective, will be extremely valuable to us as we seek opportunities to build on the unique strength of our brands and develop spectacular new shows."
Hochwald will develop a strategy for expanding existing wholly-owned properties such as the Radio City Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which will open in seven cities this year, including New York. He will also help develop new live theatrical opportunities for MSGE to mount and potentially tour.
"As a native New Yorker who has worked in the live entertainment arena for my entire career, joining MSGE is an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up," said Hochwald. "With its unique portfolio of established properties, its rich history, and its unparalleled relationship with a massive customer base, MSGE is a live entertainment company like no other. Add in an all-star executive team led by Jay Marciano, unrivaled marketing power, and entrepreneurial desire, and the whole package is a dream come true."
Prior to joining MSG Entertainment, Hochwald most recently founded, owned and served as President of Madstone Productions, LLC, in New York, the North American tour promoter for Celtic Woman; consulted on Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium World Tour for Live Nation; and co-produced a multi-month run of Love, Janis in San Francisco.
Before starting his own company, he worked for Clear Channel Entertainment and its predecessors (SFX Entertainment and PACE Entertainment) from 1988-2005, where he led efforts in marketing, business and creative development in a variety of executive roles. During this period he founded and led the highly profitable Family Entertainment Division, which was dedicated to producing and promoting global family entertainment with a wide variety of media partners including Nickelodeon and Warner Brothers and which resulted in such touring shows as Rugrats–A Live Adventure, Blue's Clues Live!, Scooby-Doo in Stagefright, Dora the Explorer and many others.
In his last two years with CCE and CCE Productions, he was executive vice president, Creative Development, developing new productions and lines of creative content for the company. – Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
