Mike Karns is a Tony Award-winning theater producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Marathon Digital, Broadway’s premiere social media agency, which creates content and cultivates communities for some of Broadway’s biggest shows, non-profit arts organizations, and live entertainment brands around the world, including Hamilton, Hadestown, The Outsiders, and more. In 2024, he also co-founded The Season, a new producing and marketing company, alongside Broadway marketing executive Steven Tartick.

In this episode, Mike shares his path into Broadway production, his early work across a variety of theater-related roles, and how—through networking, timing, and persistence—he landed the opportunity to manage social media for Hamilton. He explains how that experience sparked the creation and growth of Marathon Digital, and reflects on building two innovative companies, producing award-winning theatre, and what the future holds for Broadway marketing and emerging artists.

Later in the episode, current Penn State student Teagan Jai Boyd joins the conversation. Teagan is a third-year BFA Acting student who recently appeared in the Centre Stage production of Rhinoceros and is currently in rehearsal for The Glass Menagerie. A member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, she and Mike discuss the importance of community when building a startup, making difficult decisions, handling burnout, and how Penn State provides hands-on experiences that prepare students for careers in the arts.

Episode Chapters:

0:00 – 6:03 Growing up in Erie, developing a love for theatre

6:03 – 12:33 Choosing Penn State, working theatre-adjacent internships

12:33 – 18:58 Breaking into Broadway production with an informational interview

18:58 – 21:16 The Hamilton phenomenon

21:16 – 26:38 Building Marathon Digital, the entrepreneurial nature of Broadway

26:38 – 31:51 Producing on Broadway, launching The Season

31:51- 33:30 Navigating AI in social media industry

33:30 – 36:05 Rapid Fire Questions

36:05 – 47:50 Student Questions

36:05 – 37:35 The importance of community in building company culture

37:35 – 38:46 Refueling and staying organized

38:46 – 39:58 How Mike overcame his most difficult business decision

39:58 – 42:47 Managing uncertainty and patience

42:47 – 45:08 Incentivizing audiences to come see a Broadway show

45:08 – 47:50 The value of the hands-on experiences at Penn State

Download full episode transcript

About Mike Karns

Mike Karns is the founder and CEO of Marathon Digital, Broadway’s premiere social media agency; co-founder of The Season; and a Tony Award-winning theater producer. He graduated from the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Stage Management & Lighting Design.

About Teagan Jai Boyd

Teagan is a third-year BFA Acting student who recently appeared in the Centre Stage production of Rhinoceros and is currently in rehearsal for The Glass Menagerie. She is also a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy.

The Dare to Disrupt podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Penn State Smeal College of Business.