We are a talent booking, talent representation, and arts programming company based in New York. Since our inception in 2011, we have provided arts programming services to theaters, performing arts centers, casinos, fairs/festivals, clubs and corporate/private event clients. Additionally, we represent a diverse roster of talent with national credentials that span comedy, music, magic/illusion and variety shows.

Our central objective is to provide the best in live entertainment and entertainment services to our client buyers and venues.

ABOUT OUR FOUNDER, HARLAN HALPER

After 23 years in the personnel and executive search business, Harlan Halper turned his passion for comedy into a reality. After 3 years of planning, design and construction, Comix Comedy Nightclub opened in New York’s Meatpacking District in the Fall of 2006. The Club’s Opening Night and weekend featured performances by some of the biggest names in comedy: Sarah Silverman, Kathy Griffin, Cedric The Entertainer, David Spade, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, Flight of the Conchords, Bill Engvall, Mo’Nique, Paul Rodriguez, Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts with Special Guest, Dan Aykroyd, and a special appearance by Ron White. Over the years, Comix became a haven for what became known as “alternative comedy” and provided numerous artists with their first NYC comedy club headline weekend: Craig Ferguson, John Oliver, Aziz Ansari, Donald Glover, Anjelah Johnson, Iliza Shlesinger, John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Jo Koy, Craig Robinson and Chris Hardwick, to name a few. Harlan oversaw a 14,000 sq ft space with a 350-seat capacity showroom, lounge, and a full restaurant kitchen. Comix also expanded to Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Connecticut in 2010.

After Comix closed in 2011, Harlan created Downstage Entertainment and booked and promoted live entertainment in theaters and performing arts centers around the country. He booked comedy specifically for several theaters in Florida, including the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg and the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts in Orange Park. In 2014 and 2015, Harlan served as Tour Manager for the Undateable Comedy Tour, a 17-city live performance tour to promote Seasons One and Two of NBC-TV’s sitcom, Undateable.

In 2016, Big3 Entertainment, the entity managing the Mahaffey Theater and Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, FL, hired Harlan as their VP of Programming. During his tenure with Big3, Harlan booked a full performing arts calendar which included music, comedy, stage productions, dance, speakers and specialty programming.

Harlan’s unique background as both a buyer and a seller of talent, former promoter, and theater programmer has provided him with unparalleled perspective and insight into the business of live entertainment. Downstage Entertainment maintains a core roster of talent that it represents for personal appearances and it has both agent and management relationships throughout the industry. It calls on those relationships consistently to service the live entertainment requirements of its clients in the Casino, Theater, PAC, Fair/Festival, Club, and Event markets.

Harlan and the staff of Downstage Entertainment look forward to working with you to fulfill your entertainment needs!