Company History
Ken Davenport founded Davenport Theatrical Enterprises in 2004 after ten years of managing some of Broadway’s most successful musicals, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gypsy, Chicago and Jekyll & Hyde. Davenport Theatrical Enterprises is a full-service theatrical production and marketing company that has been responsible for such Off-Broadway and Broadway hits as Altar Boyz; The Awesome 80s Prom; My First Time; Speed-the-Plow; Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating, & Marriage; You’re Welcome America; 13 and Blithe Spirit.
2004
Altar Boyz (co-conceived and produced by Ken Davenport), a musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy band from Ohio, debuts in September at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.
The Awesome 80s Prom (created and directed by Ken) opens Off-Broadway in September at Webster Hall as an interactive show described as a “blast-from-the-past party in the style of Tony 'n Tina's Wedding.” The show is now widely considered to be one of the most successful interactive theatrical productions ever created.
2005
Altar Boyz opens Off-Broadway in March at Dodger Stages (now New World Stages).Altar Boyz has since become the longest running Off-Broadway musical to open in the last ten years.
Altar Boyz wins the2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for “Best Off-Broadway Musical.”
2006
The Awesome 80s Prom wins the 2006 Improvisational Theater Association’s Award for “Best Interactive Show.”
2007
My First Time (written, directed and produced by Ken) opens Off-Broadway in July at New World Stages. My First Time is the first play to rely on user-generated content, bringing to life some of the hysterical and heartbreaking “first time” stories submitted to a popular website of the same name. The “Virgins Get in Free” promotion Ken creates for the opening receives international attention from major media networks worldwide.
Ken stars in a national television campaign for Apple’s iPhone that features My First Time.
Altar Boyz wins the Broadway.com Audience Favorite Award for “Long Running Off-Broadway Musical” for the second year in a row.
Davenport Theatrical Enterprises creates the first niche social networking website exclusively for theater lovers, BroadwaySpace.com.
2008
Altar Boyz completes its first National Tour, garnering critical acclaim around the country.
Ken is named one of Crain’s “Forty Under 40.”
Ken receives the 2008 Spirit of Theatre Award from Theatre Resources Unlimited.
Ken adds four Broadway shows to his already impressive Off-Broadway production slate by working as a producer on 13, Speed-the-Plow with Jeremy Piven, You’re Welcome America with Will Ferrell and Blithe Spirit with Angela Lansbury.
Ken creates TheProducersPerspective.com, his popular blog where he gives his opinion on everything relating to Broadway and beyond.
Davenport Theatrical launches www.BestofOffBroadway.com, a website geared exclusively towards Off-Broadway theatre.
Davenport Theatrical creates www.DidHeLikeIt.com, which localizes and summarizes theater reviews from The New York Times’ Ben Brantley and other prominent theater critics.
2009
The Awesome 80s Prom is in its 4th year in New York City, and has also had long runs in Chicago, Minneapolis and Baltimore.
The Awesome 80s Prom and My First Time are being licensed to theatres around the country through Samuel French, Inc.
Altar Boyz has already been produced internationally in Korea and Hungary and is now slated for production in 15 countries including Brazil, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom.
My First Time is slated for production internationally in 20 countries including Israel, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Spain and Korea.
Ken produced Oleanna on Broadway.
Ken is building an unparalleled track record for success—his productions having grossed over $100 million worldwide and 6 out of 7 of them have recouped their original investments.
2010
Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating, & Marriage premieres in Tampa, Florida and opens Off-Broadway starring Eve “Jan Brady” Plumb.
Davenport Theatrical introduces the At the Booth app for iPhone, Blackberry and Android, which Entertainment Weekly calls “The best thing to happen to New York Theater since the introduction of the TKTS Booth!”
Davenport Theatrical launches the “Be A Broadway Star” Board Game, which sells 1,000 copies in its first 25 days.
Ken announces that he will produce a revival of Godspell, which will be the first ever crowd-funded Broadway show, and launches www.PeopleofGodspell.com.