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Introducing a veteran in the live entertainment industry, Greg Suzuki, the General Manager of Tremendous Entertainment Japan, holds over four decades of experience in bringing global entertainment to diverse markets. Honored with awards like the “Company record of International Sales Award,” Greg’s career spanned from being a musician to managing top-notch live shows. His professional journey is an inspiration for all in the live entertainment industry.
Greg’s Journey: Early Life and Qualification
Born in Tokyo in 1959, Greg set his sights on a music career in the US while in high school. After studying at an International School in Tokyo, he enrolled in College in Los Angeles, majoring in music theory and composition. He worked with mentor Osamu Kitajima, a well-known Japanese artist in Fusion Jazz, Rock, and New Age music. Greg was one of the first Japanese musical to register in musician union in Los Angeles as a guitarist.
In 1986, Greg shifted his career to backstage management after he joined Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey combined shows Inc., later known as Feld Entertainment. After three years, he became a tour director of Asia for the company. During 26 years of his career at Feld Entertainment, Greg worked on shows like Disney on Ice, Disney Live, and George Lucas Super Live Adventure.
After 26 years, in 2012, Greg joined Tremendous Entertainment, handling entertainment exhibitions like Star Trek and Barbie Live. As General Manager of Tremendous Entertainment Japan G.K., he brings Broadway Shows to Japan and takes Japan IP shows to tour Asia.
The Significant Values behind Greg’s Leadership
Greg has over four decades of expertise in live entertainment. Despite fast-changing elements like technology improvement, the core value of live entertainment remains the same: a human-to-human connection between performers and audience. This connection creates a business of feeling human live energy, distinct from recorded entertainment.
Greg was fortunate to work with top live entertainment content and focus on keeping the show creator’s brand direction to assure promoters and audiences appreciate the brand’s value. Over 26 years of involvement with Disney shows (Disney on Ice, Disney Live, etc.) taught Greg about strict brand management.
Pivotal Moments in Career
Greg cites the nature of live entertainment as a pivotal aspect that shaped his approach to show promotion and management. Unlike recorded entertainment, where performers can repeat performances, live entertainment has only one chance to perform before the audience, and unexpected situations can arise. The motto of Feld Entertainment, “The Show Must Go On,” emphasizes the need to continue despite the obstacles. Greg learned to be flexible, calm, and think beyond during shows.
Greg’s Secret of Staying Inspired and Innovative
Greg stays inspired and innovative by researching each show to understand the target audience. For example, the children’s show “High Five” targets mothers and children aged between 3 and 8. For “Mongol Khan,” audience data showed 70% female, 30% male, with an average age of over 40. Greg and his team find the media channels used by the target audience, leveraging social media for a younger audience and traditional media (TV, radio, newspaper, etc.) for older ones in Japan.
The Distinctions between Good and Great Leaders
According to Greg, what distinguishes a good leader from a great one in the entertainment business is managing risk and adapting to unexpected outcomes in live entertainment. Leaders should analyze outcomes and improve for future projects. One more important factor of the live entertainment business is the venue location, especially in Japan, where securing a venue requires long-term planning. Greg and his team are working on a nationwide tour of a Broadway show in 2028, securing venues 3 years in advance.
What Makes Tremendous Entertainment Stand Out
Tremendous Entertainment stands out in the industry because of its track record of managing Asia’s number one theater, Marina Bay Sands Theatre, for the last 15 years. The company has successfully promoted over 200 Broadway and major shows, grossing over US$250 million in ticket sales. Past productions include stage shows like Barbie Live and High Five and exhibitions like Star Trek and CSI. There is no other Asian live entertainment entity to achieve this record.
Deciding on Global Brands and Productions
Greg decides which global brands of products to bring into new regional markets by leveraging brands with global recognition, like Disney and Mattel, which work across Asian countries. Shows are often based on IP from movies or anime. For independent brands like the Harlem Globetrotters, Greg considers local trends; despite the brand not being known in Japan, the popularity of pro basketball games in Japan made it a viable choice. Greg also brought Japan’s Kabuki show to Marina Bay Sands theatre for 2 consecutive years.
Ensuring Consistency in Brand Experiences
Greg ensures consistency in brand experience across diverse markets, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan, by addressing language differences. In Singapore and Malaysia, English-speaking shows do well. When it comes to Japan, Korea, and China, it requires subtitles or a translator. For the Mongol Khan Tokyo show, Greg chose the Mongolian-speaking versions with Japanese subtitles. For the Harlem Globetrotters show in Tokyo-Yokohama, a translator cum stage entertainer will sync with the English MC to help the audience understand.
Evolution in the Live Entertainment Business
Greg started in live entertainment management at Feld, and the business has evolved with the advent of digital entertainment. Digital entertainment is now ubiquitous, especially on mobile phones. The rise makes live entertainment a more precious experience. Digital tools like video chat and video conference bring convenience to international business, but face-to-face meetings remain crucial for major decisions due to the importance of human-to-human connection. Thus, live performances are valued, which has led to higher ticket pricing.
Major Obstacles while Managing Iconic IPs
Greg encountered numerous challenges while managing the Disney Live stage show in Chongqing, China, in 2008. A local promoter hijacked the show equipment containers and did not return them to Greg due to some complicated dispute issues. He finds that in live entertainment, unexpected issues arise, especially when touring across cultures. Getting advice from local advisors to understand the cultural differences and mentalities is crucial to solving the issues.
Advice for Young Professionals
Greg advises young professionals in live entertainment to get to the venue where the action is whenever possible. Touring with a show as a member of the management staff is ideal. Knowing what’s happening on-site, backstage, and front-of-house is important. The best reward is seeing the audience with standing ovations and feeling their positive energy.
Evolving Consumer Expectations in Live Entertainment
Greg thinks consumers will expect more amusement actors on stage. In sports entertainment like professional basketball games in Japan, laser beams, fire special effects, and DJ music hype up the audience. Greg predicts more hologram-projected concert shows for past legends. Traditional live performances like orchestra concerts and opera may incorporate visual backgrounds, lasers, or lighting effects to enhance the atmosphere.
Engaging Younger Audiences in Long-format Shows
Greg notes that while young people enjoy short instant entertainment like TikTok, they still go to longer movie theaters. To attract a young audience, combining new ideas is necessary. Adding moving projection scenery to enhance the stage backdrop and incorporating elements like circus stunts in the Disney on Ice show can make the content more exciting. Young audiences will still sit for 120 minutes if the content is upgraded and includes innovative ideas.
