SYDNEY, AUS (CelebrityAccess) – The Playbill Group, an Australian venue management specialist, has announced a new partnership with AEG Presents, a leading live events company based in Los Angeles, and Frontier Touring, an Australasian concert promoter and part of The Mushroom Group.
Founded in Sydney in 1958 by Brian and Jocelyn Nebenzahl, Playbill Group has a rich history in Australia’s entertainment industry. The family-owned company operates in over 10 countries, managing venues and concessions across Australia and Asia. Notably, Playbill manages Sydney’s iconic Hordern Pavilion, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and will host the ARIA Awards again.
Playbill also merchandises for theatrical productions, including musicals, national theatre and music companies in 12 countries worldwide, including Chicago, Beauty & The Beast, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, and partners with major sporting teams and operates venue concessions across the country and in Asia.
Under the new partnership, Playbill’s administrative division will remain unchanged. Michael Nebenzahl will continue as Managing Director, leading the company’s expansion from its original focus on Australia and New Zealand to operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, China, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the USA.
Nebenzahl expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “I am delighted to partner with AEG Presents and Frontier Touring in this next phase of the Playbill journey. We have always prided ourselves on serving our customers… In AEG, we have found a like-minded partner to continue to honor the legacy my parents created when they founded the business.”
Dion Brant, CEO of Frontier Touring, highlighted the shared values between Playbill and Frontier, saying, “Australian-founded family companies are proving competitive on the global stage… We think very similarly, we have similar values, and we have a similar culture.”
While financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed, this collaboration marks another significant move for AEG, which recently announced its support for a new concert venue in Portland, Oregon, and is seeking a naming rights partner for its upcoming live music hall at Olympia in London.
