UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ben Nissen knew he wanted a professional career in theater from a young age. Before his time as a musical theatre student in Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, and his work as a marketing strategist and creative producer on and off-Broadway, Nissen grew up on the Jersey Shore, surrounded by the arts.
His father, Jeffrey, worked in pyrotechnics and lighting for bands like KISS and Led Zeppelin in the 1970s and started his own production company. Nissen said his parents and grandparents were his biggest inspirations for getting involved in the arts.
In sixth grade, Nissen auditioned for his school’s production of "Fiddler on the Roof" and was cast as Perchik, joining his older brother in the show.
“I got bit by the bug,” Nissen said, recalling his time on that first show. “I found a community I really felt accepted by and felt like I could be myself.”
He attended the Fine & Performing Arts Center (FPAC) at Howell High School in New Jersey, majoring in acting. Here he began honing his craft as a performer, but was also exposed to various behind-the-scenes disciplines like directing, choreography, lighting design and producing.
“I got to learn about the business and the art of theater, and how I could be involved in many different ways,” Nissen said.
After graduating from high school, Nissen said he didn’t immediately know how he wanted to be involved in theater, so he took a gap year and got involved in local training programs. It was a Penn State recruiting event at his high school and a subsequent campus tour that changed Nissen’s path for good. He found somewhere he could truly call home, he said.
“The stars must have aligned; everything fell into place,” he said. “It felt like it was supposed to happen.”
Nissen, who graduated in 2018, said his time at Penn State was instrumental for his success now, and he still works with previous mentors and faculty on various projects.
“I felt the Penn State family and community very early on,” he said. “I loved that Penn State had a number of graduate programs where we could connect with an amazing community of emerging artists that really supported each other.”
While studying at Penn State, Nissen realized that being on stage wasn’t his path, but he still developed a deep love for new musical theater. Specifically, he said, his involvement with the Musical Theatre program’s new musical commissioning initiative, shepherded by program head John Simpkins, played a key role in fostering his love for collaborating with writers and creating space for new stories. Mentorship from faculty like Simpkins and Susan H. Schulman helped him feel supported and encouraged to find new avenues that led him to his career in marketing and producing.
For Nissen, Penn State mentorship extended beyond the faculty. Meeting alumni Robert W. Schneider (master of fine arts, class of 2009) and Mike Karns (bachelor of fine arts, class of 2011) through the School of Theatre Alumni Program Group (APG) Board was the catalyst for Nissen’s career in New York City, both on and off-Broadway, and in cabaret venues like 54 Below. To this day, he said, he continues to use those integral alumni connections that he made while a student at Penn State.
“Something just clicked with us,” Nissen said about working with Schneider and Karns. “We thought, ‘This works, we work well together.’ And we still work together to this day.”
Nissen and Schneider have collaborated on more than 75 concerts and events at 54 Below and Nissan joined Schneider as part of the founding team of an off-Broadway theater company with fellow Penn State alumnus Jim Jimirro. Nissen continues to work and teach alongside Karns and is set to make his Broadway producing debut as a co-producer on "The Last Five Years," a musical for which Karns’ company, The Season, serves as a lead producer.
Schneider and Karns inspired a strong commitment to staying connected with the School of Theatre and giving back in meaningful ways, said Nissen. Now in his ninth year with the School of Theatre APG Board, Nissen continues to play a vital role in the organization’s STAGES (School of Theatre Alumni Giving Experiences to Students) and mentorship programs, helping to bridge the gap between the University and professional world.
His advice to current students comes from his own system of trial and error, he said.
“Everything is data collection, right?” he said. “Try something new, because even if you find out you don’t like it at all, that’s something new that you’ve learned, and it can help you hone in on what you do want to do — what gives you energy.”
Now, whether it’s producing, marketing, building new companies, teaching a class on arts administration at Penn State or leading initiatives through his non-profit organization, Nissen’s goal is always the same.
“I like to build cool stuff with cool people,” he said.
The Jeffrey L. Nissen Arts Education and Development Fund is one of his proudest achievements, he said. Among other initiatives, the fund provides financial support to Penn State students looking to pursue theatrical administration or business internships related to theater and the arts in urban settings.
“It’s been so fulfilling to get to carry his legacy forward,” Nissen said about his father. “He had a deep love for the arts, and passion for supporting everybody — showing up to everything and being of service however he could. While it’s still early days for us as an organization, we are eager to be of service however we can with the resources and network that we have.”
Nissen said he hopes the support, awarded for the first time in spring 2024, will complement students’ learning so they can enrich the School of Theatre, and University as a whole, with their experiences.
However it may manifest itself, Nissen said he wants to foster life-long learners.
“It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do,” he said. “Putting yourself in new rooms and taking risks — it’s so important to stay curious and stay driven. Keep moving forward.”
Visit www.jlnarts.org/ or search @jlnarts on Instagram to learn more about the Jeffrey L. Nissen Arts Education and Development Fund. To learn more about Nissen, visit www.bennissen.com.