Broadway duo giveLions a storytellingmasterclass

BROADWAY is coming to Cannes Lions — for one performance only. Tony Award winning producers Sue Gilad and Larry Rogowsky will take to the Rotonde Stage this af- ternoon to reveal the storytelling secrets behind hit musicals, from Moulin Rouge to Burlesque.

At a time when brands and agencies are grappling with the profound implications of AI and social media disruption for storytelling, Gilad told Lions Daily News:

Larry Rogowsky and Sue Gilad

“We are so delighted to be analogue in a digital world. Theatre is one of the oldest arts ... thousands of years old. And this year on Broadway, we had our best year ever. So we want to talk about what ignites audiences. What’s universal about our form of storytelling that creatives in marketing and ad- vertising can learn from?”

Gilad and Rogowsky, co-founders of In Fine Company, head for Lon- don’s West End this summer with Burlesque, a stage reimagination of the 2010 Christina Aguilera movie. During the session they will show the similarities between their own crea- tive process and that of the Cannes Lions audience: “We always start by looking for our universal hero and the journey they’re going on,” Gilad said. “We’ll break our stories down so Cannes Lions attendees can take the same elements that have made theatre so timeless and relevant — and use them in their own careers.” Picking up on Gilad’s theme, Rogowsky said: “There’s something really interesting about how theatre makes you feel, what you walk away with at the end. When people leave our theatres, their immediate thought is to tell someone about it. So who are they going to call, where are they going to post? There’s a viral marketing side to it."

Gilad said a big theme of the talk will be the importance of authenticity: “I would encourage anyone who is telling any sort of story to make sure they start at the most truthful and authentic place, so their audience can go fearlessly on the trek with them.” Rogowsky added: “I’d like everyone to leave our session thinking about their marketing and advertising a little bit differently. How, in this world of AI, can they get that human connection back into their work? Because that’s what’s going to seal the deal.”