Arnold M. Engelman, president of WestBeth Entertainment in New York, was awarded an alumni citation from his alma mater, Denison University in Granville, Ohio. In a ceremony that took place in June, Denison President Adam Weinberg presented Engelman with the highest honor conferred on a graduate or friend of the college.
Engelman, a member of the Denison class of 1974, has made a life’s work out of bringing artists’ dreams come to life, with entertainment and audience enjoyment always being the key element.
Founded by Engelman, WestBeth Entertainment is a producing organization that has successfully and consistently produced critically acclaimed, financially successful, groundbreaking and alternative entertainment for 35 years.
WestBeth has produced, presented, promoted and managed diverse productions all over North America in such venues as Madison Square Garden, Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music Hall, Broadway, Toronto’s Massey Hall, the Chicago Theatre, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
Among the many performers on WestBeth’s roster are Eddie Izzard, Billy Connolly, Eric Idle (Monty Python), John Leguizamo, Margaret Cho, Lewis Black and the Jim Henson Company. WestBeth continues to introduce North America to new talent, recently introducing America to South Africa’s Trevor Noah, and the United Kingdom’s Dylan Moran and Simon Amstell.
In addition, Engleman founded Westbeth Theatre Center in 1977 with fellow Denison alum Bill Hoffman. During its 25-year existence, Westbeth made its mark as the home for experimental, innovative and daring new works. Among the artists Engleman produced in the three-performance-space facility were Judith Ivey, Darryl Hannah, Stephen Colbert, John Cassevettes, Ben Gazzara, John Turturro, Allison Janney, Cy Coleman, Patti LuPone, Joe Layton, Amy Sedaris, Sandra Bernhart, Ray Davies and John Cameron Mitchell.