Don Frantz
Producer/Director
制作人/导演
Don Frantz（中文名“董方思”）是城市广场娱乐制作公司(TSP)的创始人。TSP位于纽约，和主要经营剧院管理及创意开发。公司致力于制作百老汇、外百老汇以及巡演剧目，也为主题公园，游轮等旅游娱乐项目提供管理咨询服务。TSP制作了外百老汇音乐剧Disenchanted（中文版命名《麻辣公主》）。目前他是北京环球百老汇文化发展有限公司的首席创意总监，并在李宗盛作品音乐剧中担任执行制作人。董方思先生还带领曼哈顿West Park Presbyterian Church（西苑长老教会教堂）进行转型，使其成为表演艺术和社区活动的中心。目前该教堂已拥有三处表演场地，观众席从70位增加到400位。此外，在为田纳西州Smoky Mountain Palace（大烟山宫殿剧院，可容纳1700名观众）成功进行融资之后，他继续在BOYA Entertainment Media（上海）担任顾问一职。
TSP参与管理制作的项目包括在百老汇上演的A Tale of Two Cities《双城记》，Soul of Shaolin《少林武魂》和A Class Act《经典巨著》；外百老汇的中国芭蕾舞剧Dream of Red Chamber《红楼梦》、Pirates of Penzance《彭赞斯海盗》、Summer of ’42《往事如烟》和I Got Merman《I Got Merman》；巡演剧作包括彼得·巴菲特（Peter Buffett）的Spirit《神灵》，The Seventh Fire《第七把火》及费雪集团的Little People Live《小精灵》。现作为上海倪德伦环球娱乐有限公司的制作人，董方思是百老汇与中国演艺联合制作，陕西旅游集团出品的音乐剧《丝路之声》的执行制作人。
TSP公司为中央公园的日本节以及All For One Festival （“我为人人”节）担任总监制方。日本节的欢庆节目让5万名游客领略了日本文化，而“我为人人”节是为独角戏专门设立的节日。2014年Princes Cruises（公主邮轮）开启了上海航线，TSP专门为汉语游客设计了多套娱乐项目。2015年，董方思又携手百老汇元老级作曲家斯蒂文·施瓦兹（Stephen Schwartz）带领一支百老汇的制作团队为公主邮轮创作了讽刺喜剧Magic To Do《魔术》，并在皇冠号，红宝石号和绿宝石号游轮上的主舞台成功上演。
董方思曾在迪斯尼公司有8年的工作经历。期间作为百老汇音乐剧Beauty and the Beast《美女与野兽》和Lion King《狮子王》的主要执行制作人之一，他在迪士尼戏剧的创作和制作做出了重要贡献。他在迪斯尼世界制作和导演的作品包括广受欢迎的SpectroMagic（魔法奇观）--魔法王国夜间灯光游行会。
董方思定期担任北京环球百老汇文化有限公司（君舍文化传媒公司，钟丽芳女士担任总裁）的顾问，其中包括担任周杰伦音乐剧《不能说的秘密》，《神灵》，和李宗盛（Jonathan Lee）亲自拟定，John Rando执导的《当爱已成往事》的制作人。同时，他是严歌苓小说《金陵十三钗》同名音乐剧的执行制作人。美国著名词作家Rupert Holmes担任该剧的词作者，著名导演Gabriel Barre担任导演。2018年，他联合制作并执导了一部外百老汇音乐剧That Physics Show的中文版，该剧已与大船文化在中国成功巡演三年，并成功启发了后续作品That Chemistry Show与That Gas Show。
2007年1月起，董方思有一半时间居住在中国北京。最初两年期间，董方思担任纽约Nederlander（倪德伦环球娱乐公司）在华合资公司的首席执行官，该公司是由中华人民共和国文化部认可的企业。董方思管理公司初创年的业务，其中包括音乐剧42nd Street《42街》在中国9个城市面向10万人次观众的巡演。2008－2009演出季实现了埃尔顿·约翰的Aida《阿伊达》的11周巡演，也与中央戏剧学院合作合作引进了戏剧Fame（名扬四海，中文版《星梦中国》）。中文版Fame的制作过程被拍成了记录片《成名之路》，董方思也参与了制片。该片在网络上走红。他是 2018 年《国语领袖》的荣誉获得者。
作为内蒙古草原文化发展与保护基金会的首席剧院顾问，董方思拥有12年的导演和顾问经历。在上海世博会上，董方思先生担任了世博会内蒙古区的创意总监，为一部270度的环绕电影，蒙古族那达慕游行及原创音乐剧《心之恋》（The Promise）执导。董先生作为长驻内蒙的一位艺术家，还为阿拉善国家森林公园创作并执导了年度大型实景户外演出《阿拉腾陶来》（Golden Huyang）。该剧在建党90周年庆典系列演出中作为内蒙古自治区参演剧目在北京保利剧院上演。2016年，他执导户外实景音乐剧《阿尔山》以展现西蒙的历史和文化。此后他还为吉林大学七十周年校庆剧目《1946》执导，讲述吉林大学的建校史。2017年，一部新音乐剧《梦之都》（Dream City）在元大都—今天的锡林浩特上演，主要讲述忽必烈汗的建国史。
董方思还曾任上海戏剧学院、北京松雷音乐剧发展有限公司、中国杂技团和国家话剧院的高级顾问和客座教授。另外，他还与中国话剧院合作制作话剧The Final Struggle《最后的斗争》，该剧以英文在纽约上演。2012年，作为中国原创舞台剧《昆仑山》的总导演和编剧之一，董方思成功地将《昆仑神话》（Kunlun Myth）搬上北京天桥剧场，并实现了在美国和中国全国的巡演。董方思持续担任Into The Woods《拜访森林》中文版商演的制片顾问，新绎文化有限公司为制片方。该剧于2014年冬季在北京上演，大获成功。
董方思也为美国的主题公园做出了许多贡献。他为坦帕市的Busch Gardens （布希公园）开发和制作了音乐剧KaTonga, 此剧赢得了IAAPA（国际娱乐公园协会）的2004年度最佳演出大奖。他还是Anheuser-Busch（百威英博公司）出品的虎鲸演出Believe《相信》新版制作的制作人和创意导演。该表演在弗洛里达、德克萨斯和加利福尼亚的各大公园内上演。Believe获得了国际娱乐公园协会的最佳演出大奖以及2006年度主题娱乐协会的最佳现场表演THEA奖。
董方思担任导演和管理工作的项目还包括Universal Studios Hollywood（好莱坞环球影城）和Busch Gardens（布希公园），第23届和第25届超级碗橄榄球冠军赛的中场秀，庆祝自由女神像的节日Liberty Weekend（自由周末），1984年路易斯安娜世博会，位于洛杉矶的Ensemble Studio剧院，Doolittle剧院中的George Schaefer音乐剧院公司；以及在Roxy剧院和Canon剧院的独立制作项目。
董方思开发的新颖户外家庭游戏Amazing Maize Maze®（神奇的玉米迷宫）三次打破吉尼斯世界记录，成为“世界最大的迷宫”。他的美国迷宫公司已成功完成了170多个类似的项目，接待游客人数超过1千万，并引发了世界范围的迷宫热。目前他在为五个经营中的家族农场提供创意指导。2016年，为支持反转基因作物的行动，他为Popcorners（美国玉米片生产商哔啵脆）及BYG Brands在内布拉斯加州打造了一个8英亩（3.2公顷）的玉米田作品。www.OurLittleRebellion.com国内首个Amazing Maize Maze在2017年于内蒙古呼和浩特建成。
TSP为时代广场联盟打造的“走进百老汇”旅游线路在2012年正式推出，并获TripAdvisor（猫途鹰旅游公司）的年度最佳服务奖。走完这条路线需要用时90分钟，每一位游客都能在耳麦中听到百老汇作品的音乐及名人采访的录音，使游客们的游览经历更加丰富而精彩。
董方思获得加州大学洛杉矶分校的剧院管理硕士学位，之后担任该校戏剧、电影和电视系的教员。他编写的A Celebration of the Broadway Musical, Beauty and the Beast（《一场百老汇音乐剧的庆典——美女与野兽》）一书由Hyperion出版社出版。董先生同时也是百老汇联盟，外百老汇联盟，音乐剧联盟，国际主题公园协会和魔幻城堡学院的成员。董先生现在已可以读和说一些基本的中文。
Don Frantz is the owner of Town Square Productions, Inc., a theatrical management and creative development enterprise in New York City with interests in Broadway, Off-Broadway and Touring productions, as well as shows and attractions for the themed entertainment business. TSP is producer of DISENCHANTED!, an off-Broadway musical. TSP has managed Broadway’s A Tale of Two Cities, Soul of Shaolin, and A Class Act. For Off Broadway, China’s Dream of Red Chamber ballet, Pirates of Penzance, Summer of ’42, and I Got Merman. On tour, TSP managed Peter Buffett’s Spirit, the Seventh Fire and Fisher-Price’s Little People Live. In the current role of Producer of Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment, Don is Executive Producer of the Broadway/China musical creation “Sound of the Silk Road” for Shaanxi Tourism Group in Xi’an.
Town Square Productions has general managed “Japan Day in Central Park” celebrating Japanese culture for 50,000 participants and the “All For One Festival” dedicated to one-person show. For Princess Cruises, TSP provided creative direction for the Mandarin language passenger enrichment programs for their 2014 China premier. In 2015, Don brought Stephen Schwartz and a Broadway team to Princess Cruises and created the award winning musical magical revue, “Magic To Do” now playing on three ships.
Don is an eight-year veteran of the Walt Disney Company where he was instrumental in creating Walt Disney Theatrical Productions and served as the Associate Producer of Broadway's Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Prior to these assignments, he produced and directed productions at Walt Disney World, including the iconic spectacle "SpectroMagic,” the nighttime light parade at the Magic Kingdom.
Don has been consultant periodically for China Broadway Entertainment/Jetavana led by Ivy Zhong, producer of Jay Chou’s musical, “The Secret” and Jonathan Lee’s (Li ZongSheng) “Spirit of Life” directed by John Rando. Don is Executive Producer for a new musical in development based on Yan Geling’s novel “13 Flowers of Nanjing” to be written by Rupert Holmes and directed by Gabriel Barre. In 2018 he co-producd and directed a mandarin adaptation of off-Broadway’s “That Physics Show” which has successfully toured China for three years with Grand Boat Productions. This success inspired follow-up productions “That Chemistry Show” and “That Gas Show”.
Since January 2007 Don resided half of his time in Beijing, PRC. For the first two years he served as the CEO of a joint venture funded by New York’s Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment. Don supervised the tour of “42nd Street” in 9 cities to 100,000 spectators. The 2008-09 season realized an 11-week tour of Elton John’s “AIDA”, and the co-production with Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama of “FAME” in mandarin. The production of FAME resulted in a documentary film “Road To Fame” which he Co-Executive produced. As Visiting Professor/Director at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, his production of DISENCHANTED! was produced at the Academy in 2016 with support the show’s Chinese producers, Kaixin Mahua. Previously Don served three years as Visiting Professor in Theater Management at the Academy and co-produced mandarin productions of “Crazy For You” in 2010 and 2017 and “Into The Woods” in November, 2013. He is a proud honoree in the 2018 publication “Mandarin Leaders.”
As Chief Theater Consultant for Grassland Culture Development and Preservation Foundation of Inner Mongolia Don has a 12-year career directing and consulting on musical and events celebrating Mongolian culture and life. At the Shanghai Expo Don was creative director of Inner Mongolian week at the Shanghai Expo which included a 270 degree film, a Mongolian Natamu Parade, and the original musical, “The Promise.” As artist in residence in Inner Mongolia, Don wrote and directed “Golden Huyang” an annual outdoor musical in the Alashan national forest, and the Inner Mongolian celebration of the 90thanniversary of the CCCP performed at the Poly Theater in Beijing. Most recently in 2016 Don directed “ARXAN, the Musical” an outdoor musical about the history and culture of the Ximeng area, and “1946” an original musical about the founding of Jilin University in Changcun. In 2017 a new musical, “Dream City” celebrating the reign of Kublai Khan was presented in Xilinhaote, home of the legendary “Xanadu.”
Don has served as a consultant and visiting professor at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Beijing’s Songlei Musical Theater Development Production Company and the National Theatre of China with which he produced a reading of the successful drama “The Final Struggle” for the New York audience in English. Don was Chief Director/Co-Writer for the original Chinese “Kunlun Mountain” which opened at Tian Qiao Theater in December 2012 and toured in USA and throughout China. He continues to be producing consultant for the commercial production of “Into The Woods” presented in Beijing in winter of 2014 by Ovation Culture Development Company.
For U.S theme parks, Don developed and produced KaTonga for Busch Gardens, Tampa, Winner of IAAPA’s BIG E award for the Best Show in 2004. Don is also Producer/Creative Director for “BELIEVE” a significant re-imagining of Seaworld’s killer whale show in the Florida, Texas and California parks for the Anheuser-Busch Companies. BELIEVE is Winner of the BIG E Best Show award from IAAPA, as well as the THEA Award for Best Live Show from the Theme Entertainment Association for 2006.
Don performed directing and/or management roles at Universal Studios Hollywood and Busch Gardens, XXIII and XXV Superbowl Half-Time Shows, Liberty Weekend, 1984 Louisiana World Exposition; Los Angeles' Ensemble Studio Theater/LA and George Schaefer's Musical Theater/LA at the Doolittle Theater, and independent productions at the Roxy and Canon Theaters.
A three-time winner of the Guinness Record for the World's Largest Maze, Don developed a new, outdoor, family game called the "Amazing Maize Maze®." His American Maze Company has built over 200 such projects, entertained over 14,000,000 players, and instigated a world-wide maze fad and continues to provide creative direction to five family-owned and living history farms. In 2016 Don created an 8-acre cornfield artwork in Nebraska as part of a national promotion for non-GMO corn for Popcorners and BYG Brands. www.OurLittleRebellion.com In 2017, the first Amazing Maize Maze was built in Hohhut, Inner Mongolia.
Town Square Productions debuted “Walkin’ Broadway™” for the Times Square Alliance in 2012 and has annually been awarded Excellence in Service by TripAdvisor. This 90-minute guided walking tour is enhanced with a recorded track of Broadway music and celebrity interviews transmitted to each customer’s audio headset.
Don received an MFA from, and served on the faculty of UCLA’s Department of Theater, Film and Television. For Hyperion Press he authored the book A Celebration of the Broadway Musical, Beauty and the Beast. Don is a member of The Broadway League, ATPAM, The Alliance of Musical Theaters, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), and the renowned Academy of Magic & Magic Castle. He speaks and reads only rudimentary Chinese, so far.