By Gia Jones

The magic of Broadway is headed to the Lehigh Valley this spring with “Unity in the Community 2.0: Broadway Celebrates the Lehigh Valley,” a star-studded evening of performance, inspiration, and community connection on Thursday, May 28, at Muhlenberg College’s Empie Theatre. 

Presented by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and chaired by Aliette and Marc Abo, the event is the product of Broadway producer and agent Wayne J. Gmitter of the Think Iconic artist agency, whose offices are in Bethlehem. Gia Jones, co-chair of the Jewish Federation’s NextGen, had the opportunity to chat with him to learn about the man behind the show and how “Unity in the Community 2.0” came to be.

Wayne, it’s so nice to connect with you. Thank you for your hard work and for bringing Broadway to the Lehigh Valley. Tell me, what’s your connection to the area?

I grew up here. I moved to New York and went to the Fashion Institute of Technology. I then became a personal assistant to celebrities. Then I moved to LA and then back to New York and ended up starting my own boutique booking agency for Broadway and TV icons. That’s the name of my agency: Think Iconic. I was (comedian) Carol Channing’s manager for 10 years. I’ve been (Broadway actor, director, and choreographer) Tommy Tune’s manager for 16 years. I couldn’t think of a better place to move back to and have a home here in Bethlehem with my husband, James. 

You’ve had a successful career as a Broadway producer and agent. Tell us what a typical day is like for you. 

I get up at 4:00 every morning and I’m at my desk by 5:00. I go through my emails and what I do is, I book Broadway and TV artists who do concerts around the country. I have a rolling call list. I call venues and I speak to producers and agents. I would say my typical day is every little boy and girl’s fantasy when they are young and they want to be in theater. That is my day every day. Like today, I just spoke with Lorna Luft for an hour because we are working on something. This afternoon I’ll be speaking with Lucie Arnaz. Then I’ll speak with my other clients that I have four or five more calls with. So, my day is always different, but what I’m doing is always looking at another concert engagement. Right now, I’m working on 2027-28, which is kind of crazy, but that’s how the concert world works. We are always booking 18 months to two years in advance. 

You’re a busy person. What inspired a 1988 Bethlehem Catholic High School grad to create “Unity in the Community 2.0” with the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley?

I recently did my DNA and I have Jewish DNA. I can remember my friend Melissa—she was my roommate in New York—she took me to my first seder with her family, and there was something so moving and deep about the tradition and the community. I was raised Catholic. My uncle was a priest, and my mother goes to church every day, and I do cherish my Catholic upbringing, but there is something that I am drawn to with the Jewish faith, and I have a lot of respect for it. I identify on a level with the Jewish faith.  

In June 2025, when the Jewish peaceful protesters were lit on fire in Colorado, I wept. Seeing those people on fire for peacefully protesting to release the hostages really hit a nerve with me. I was so upset and I called my client (comedian) Judy Gold, who is Jewish, and I said, “I am so sorry.” And she said, “I want you to call someone that you care about who is Jewish and say that to them.” That’s when I called (Jewish Federation board secretary) Aliette Abo and I said, “I’m sorry. I’m mortified. You have my support. Is there something I can donate to or a cause I can help?” We were talking and I said, “I have a boutique booking agency. I represent so many people. What if I got my clients to come together and do a concert that we can do locally?” And Aliette and her husband Marc have been the driving force behind it.

What do you hope this show accomplishes?

Understanding, tolerance, community. If we can just change one mind. This isn’t just a Jewish issue. This is about people showing up for each other. I want to do my best for my neighbors and my friends and make a difference.

Your agency, Think Iconic, represents some of the finest stage and screen talent. With such an accomplished roster, how did you select the three artists involved in this performance?

I started with Judy Gold because I called, her and she was the one who said, “Call someone you love who is Jewish.” Judy is probably the funniest person I ever met, and I thought she could open the show. I represent John Lloyd Young, who starred in “Jersey Boys” on Broadway and in the movie. He’s a close friend of mine as well as Judy. His music is so uplifting and fun. Then I thought, what would be a better way to end the evening than to have Broadway’s original Annie, Andrea McArdle, who lives in Bucks County, to sing a few songs and end with “Tomorrow”? There’s no better anthem. 

What should audiences expect from the evening?

Judy will do her set of comedy, then John Lloyd will sing the hits from “Jersey Boys” and the Doo-Wop era, and then Andrea sings a few songs and ends the evening with “Tomorrow.” 

 

“Unity in the Community 2.0: Broadway Celebrates the Lehigh Valley” is a show for all ages and offers locals an opportunity to enjoy world-class talent without leaving the Lehigh Valley. But it’s more than entertainment: proceeds will benefit local and global humanitarian initiatives supported by the Federation.

The show begins at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6:30. Buy your tickets or join our other sponsors at  jewishlehighvalley.org/unity-in-the-community-2.