Broadway and theater investors, and producers, Larry and Robin Kaufman, share a deep passion for the stage. Larry is also a playwright and parody lyric writer, with nine CDs to his credit, collaborating with Emmy-winning producer, songwriter and composer David Barrett. His show, Sing Me a Song, Mr. Parody Man, was recently given an 
airing at 54 Below. Prior to his theatrical activities, Kaufman had a “day job” for over 40 years in marketing, retiring in 2012. The other half of the couple, who reside in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield, MI, Robin Kaufman, has been long active in creative activities. She’s on the board of Michigan Stage where she created the Talkin’ Broadway series, presented at the West Bloomfield Library.
Since 2018, the Kaufmans have channeled their theater passion into investing and producing Broadway, Off-Broadway and UK shows. They have invested in Gypsy, Dead Outlaw, Smash, Swept Away and Operation Mincemeat, and in the UK, Fiddler on the Roof and The Producers.
NiteLife Exchange (NLE) asks Larry Kaufman (LK) and Robin Kaufman (RK) Six Questions.
NLE: When did you both realize you shared a passion for the theater; what was the first Broadway show you saw together?
LK: We knew it the very first time we met: New Years Eve party in 1984 at Ev Simpson’s house in New Jersey. About 80 musicians in various jam rooms in the 
house. When I met Robin I asked her what she did when she wasn’t at folk music events. She said she liked theater. In New Jersey everyone says that, but don’t really mean it. I always ask the follow up question: “What is the last show you’ve seen?” They usually stumble and say some show 20 years ago. Robin answered Glengarry Glen Ross. That told me she really was a theater person. First, she knew the show. Second, very few people would choose that if it was the only show they would see that year. Third, it was the last show I saw on Broadway. Fourth, neither one of us liked it!! We then found we had everything in common. We were engaged on Valentine’s Day and married October 20, 1985. I consider Glengarry Glen Ross the first play we have ever seen, even though we never saw it together. It was the show that brought us together.
RK: The first show we actually saw together was The Tap Dance Kid with Savion Glover and Hinton Battle. I was always a fan of all varieties of dance, so it was a great show to bond over.
NLE: What show was your first project as investors? Was the experience easy? Satisfying?
LK: Our First project was Getting the Band Back Together. We go on the Broadway Cruise every year. In those days it was run by R Family Vacations. We became friendly with Evelyn and Elliott 
Storch who were investors with Ken Davenport. They introduced us to Ken and we took a half share of the show, three weeks before it opened, based on our friends’ advice. We knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the show. Very cute show, but closed in a month. We spent the entire opening party looking for Ken Davenport, but couldn’t find him because we didn’t know what he looked like! The show lost every penny but it introduced us to Ken and to Broadway. Losing money on Broadway shows is easy, and very satisfying. Ken now calls Robin, Larry Starr,and me his “favorite investors.”
RK: It was very easy, but very unsatisfying!
NLE: Was there ever a show that you could have invested in but turned down—or in retrospect, a show you wished you had invested in but didn’t? What do you look for in a show that you do invest in?
LK: Did you have to remind me! We were in a coffee shop on 8th Ave. around 44th Street. A Broadway producer wanted us to invest in Dear Evan Hansen. This was before we became Broadway investor/producers. We had never invested in Broadway at the time. The show was Off-Broadway. The producer said it would go to Broadway and “be the next Hamilton.” For our first show we wanted something 
more solid. There was no guarantee it would make it to Broadway and it had no stars (at the time). The producer had the contract and the pen. All we had to do was sign it. We said no. I estimate a $125,000 mistake. I think about it every time we walk past that coffee shop.
RK: I wish we had been doing this years ago when we had opportunities to invest in the old classics (and shows made money).
LK: We have five questions that we ask ourselves before investing in a Broadway show: 1. Can it make money? What is the likelihood that it will recoup (before it closes)? 2. Do we have any connections to cast or crew members? 3. Is it a show that hits our hearts? 4. How long is the star’s contract? Is it long enough to make some money? 5. What do our producer friends say about the show?
NLE: Recently, your latest support has been for cabaret productions, an particularly Scott Siegel’s shows. What drew your attention to investing in those? How did you come to partner with co-investor Larry Starr?
LK: Our two favorite places in New York are Ellen’s Stardust Diner and 54 Below. We have gone to a number of 54 Below shows including Broadway’s Greatest Hits run by Scott Siegel. We would 
talk to him after the show and found him to be very interesting and knowledgeable. In addition to his Broadway cabarets he has written 47 books including seven cowboy westerns. (Yes, under his own name.) A few months ago we had lunch with him and more recently Larry; Larry, and Robin had dinner with him and his wife. He talked about how difficult it was doing cabarets and how a lot of the funding has disappeared. We asked him how short he was on his new series and we decided to make up the difference. Living in Michigan we may never get to these cabarets, but we love Scott and his work, and feel is it vital to the community.
Most people think we have known Larry Starr for 50 years. In truth, we only met two years ago at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. Playbill sent a cruise ship there to serve as a hotel for the festival. Ken Davenport went there to scout out some shows and stayed on the ship. At the first night cocktail party all of his investors gathered around to chat with him. I was standing next to Larry Starr and struck up a conversation. We have been inseparable since. In the middle of the cruise, Robin 
saw a key card with the name Larry Craig and thought it was mine. That is when we discovered we both were “Larry Craigs.” That is how we got the name “Larry Craig and the Bird” when we produce together.
NLE: Larry, as a lyricist with a fondness for writing comedic parodies to Broadway tunes, you recently had your own show Sing Us A Song, Mr. Parody Man at 54 Below. How did this presentation come about? Was the result something you’d like to do again?
LK: I have just begun working on my 9th CD of parodies. Ken Davenport and Scott Barbarino have been huge supporters of my parodies and have urged be to do a cabaret show in New York. Quite frankly, that was a little intimidating for me. There are some brilliant writers in NYC. Scott Abrams (the third Scott I have mentioned—so stay with me) put me in touch with Rosie Corr. She has produced cabarets in NYC, and was the assistant choreographer for Harmony, which we all co-produced. Rosie recommended Joseph Ivan as the musical director (great musician—hire him) and we brainstormed performers for the show. Many had work in musicals, or other gigs, or were on vacation. We ended up with a great cast, which exceeded every expectation. Rosie did a fabulous job as general manager.
We are friendly with Danny Kornfeld and Julie Benko from Harmony. We have known Danny since he was four years old, and went to pre-school with our daughter. Both Danny and Julie wanted to do the cabaret, but were unavailable on the night we were given by 54 Below. We would like to do another cabaret presentation when Danny and Julie are available. Despite being on a Monday night in the summer, we had a full house including 12 Broadway producers. I hope 54 Below is willing to book us again sometime, maybe next spring. I have a lot of material, over 9 CDs and many great songs I would love to present.
For anyone who would like to see the cabaret you can go to my YouTube page at Larry Kaufman The Parody Man. It also has workshops from two full-length musicals I have written plus a few other songs.
NLE: What do you feel makes cabaret a unique art form—one that should be proactively supported?
LK: Seeing Broadway stars in an intimate and personal setting, rather than at a stadium or large concert hall.
NLE: A bonus question for you both. Robin…what song would you pick to assign Larry to write parody lyrics describing your marriage of 41 years? Larry…how would that song begin?
RK: “I Got You Babe” already covers that! So much of what Larry writes is autobiographical. For something new: how about “Send in the Clowns?”
LK: “Isn’t this rich? Are we a pair?” I always use original lyrics if they’re appropriate. It’s my Easter Egg.
