Harlan Halper

Harlan Halper is the Founder and Director of Downstage Entertainment, a talent booking, talent management, talent representation, and arts programming company based in New York.1 With over 16 years of experience in the live entertainment industry, Halper has established himself as a multi-dimensional business professional.2

Career Highlights

Comedy Club Founder:: In 2003, after 23 years in the personnel and executive search business, Halper turned his passion for comedy into reality by opening Comix Comedy Nightclub in New York's Meatpacking District.1 The club featured performances by renowned comedians such as Sarah Silverman, Kathy Griffin, and Cedric The Entertainer.1

Alternative Comedy Haven:: Comix became known for showcasing "alternative comedy" and provided many artists with their first NYC comedy club headline weekend, including Craig Ferguson, John Oliver, and Aziz Ansari.1

Expansion and Management:: Halper oversaw a 14,000 sq ft space with a 350-seat capacity showroom, 50-seat lounge, and a full restaurant kitchen. He also expanded the Comix brand to Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Connecticut in 2010.1

Downstage Entertainment

After Comix closed in 2011, Halper founded Downstage Entertainment.1 The company's services include:

• Talent booking
• Talent management
• Talent representation
• Arts programming

Downstage Entertainment works with a core roster of talent that it manages and represents for personal appearances, maintaining close relationships with talent agencies and managers throughout the industry.1

Additional Experience

• Tour Manager: In 2014 and 2015, Halper served as Tour Manager for the Undateable Comedy Tour, a 17-city live performance tour promoting NBC-TV's sitcom, Undateable.1
• VP of Programming: In 2016, Halper was hired by Big3 Entertainment as the VP of Programming for both the Mahaffey Theater and Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, FL.1

Harlan Halper's unique background as both a buyer and seller of talent, former promoter, and theater programmer has provided him with unparalleled perspective and insight into the business of live entertainment.1