34
COM Outlook . Fall 2013
ever-evolving time management crisis
plan. “My internal medicine practice
partner at the time had asked if I could
cover the practice for a week so he
could go on vacation, and I said yes,
but it happened to fall on the week I
was in previews for a new play,” he
said. “I remember it being one of the
worst weeks of my life because I had
to cover my patients, his patients, the
beeper, be on call—and run back and
forth to the theater for a new play I
was producing that was opening in
a week. It really was awful because I
didn’t sleep a wink that week.”
Currently, Dr. Jackowitz is work-
ing about 30 hours a week as an
internist at The Farber Center for
Radiation Oncology in Tribeca, New
York, which he calls an ideal fit for
his dual-career lifestyle. “I am not on
call and work no weekends, so it has
made it possible for me to do all the
things I love,” he stated. “It’s a great
practice that houses the most beauti-
ful radiation facility in the world. I
work with two first-class radiation
oncologists who really care about the
patients, and over the past few years
we have created an environment
where patients come first. I love what
I do with this practice and love what
I do with my theater projects, so it’s a
really balanced world.”
Although Dr. Jackowitz has been
a successful producer for quite some
time, the past few years have been
especially rewarding on a range
of levels. In 2010, he produced the
premiere of Stephen Schwartz’ first
opera—
Séance on a Wet Afternoon
—at
Lincoln Center. In 2011, he was one of
the producers involved with the 50
th
anniversary revival of
How to Succeed
in Business Without Really Trying
, a
critical and commercial smash that
starred
Harry Potter’s
Daniel Radcliffe
and earned eight Tony Award nomi-
nations. The year 2012 brought even
more glory, which included winning
the coveted Drama Desk Award in
the Best Review category for his work
on
The Best Is Yet to Come
.
Balancing two thriving—and
time-intensive—careers for over two
decades hasn’t dimmed any of Dr.
Jackowitz’s boundless verve; in fact,
it seems as if he’s just getting started.
“I feel great,” he admitted. “I feel like
I have absolutely everything. People
always say to me, ‘How can you be a
doctor and a producer; how do you do
that?’ I have a standard answer: You
have to want it really badly, and I do.”
Apparently he does, judging by
the full slate of projects he’s currently
involved with, including a number of
shows that are sprinkled across the
globe. “One of the projects is called
Daddy Long Legs
, which is touring
around the United States and across
the world. It’s exciting because we’re
actually in talks to bring it to Broad-
way next year,” said Dr. Jackowitz,
who resides in Connecticut with
Shawn, his husband of 18 years. “I’m
also working with Broadway Across
America on a new musical next year
called
Tuck Everlasting
, which will be
my next big project.”
Because he’s so passionate about
what he does, Dr. Jackowitz formed
a company called Witz End Produc-
tions last year with a New York the-
ater producer named Marvin Kahan
and his former SECOM roommate
and fellow 1990 alumnus, Jeffrey
Grove, D.O. “The company is help-
ing me take my vision to the next
level,” he explained. “Witz End is
giving me the opportunity to option
my own properties and be the lead
producer on these projects.”
With a life that seems to be in a
state of perpetual motion, Dr. Jack-
owitz rarely takes the time to stop
and reflect on all he’s accomplished.
However, he candidly reveals his
thoughts on a life he feels was preor-
dained from birth. “I kind of imag-
ined all of this happening when I was
young; I imagined being this guy,”
he admitted. “I don’t mean to sound
cocky in any way, but I envisioned
the dual life of working in the theater
and being a successful doctor, which
is why I’m so content. Sometimes,
though, when I walk through Times
Square, I remember what it felt like to
walk that block as a tourist going to
see shows…thrilling. And it still is.”
Dealing with the Celebrity Factor
Working with A-list celebrities may seem like a
snazzy way to make a living—and it usually is. Yet
even a cool customer like Dr. Jackowitz admits to
being star struck, especially when he launched his
producing career. “When I worked on my first play,
The
Food Chain
, one of the lead producers said, ‘Michael,
you’re too excited about the star factor. You’re going
to be their boss, so you have to learn how to be their
boss.’ It was a valuable lesson, and now I look at it in
a different way,” he explained.
According to Dr. Jackowitz, his most enjoyable
celebrity experience occurred when he worked with
Daniel Radcliffe on
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
. “Daniel was a joy
to work with because he’s an absolute professional in every way,” he said. “By the second
day of rehearsal, he already knew everybody’s name. He also was the first one to arrive and
the last to leave. He set the production’s tone, which was a wonderful experience because
everyone from the top down mimicked his commitment. He was really amazing.”
Then there is the opposite extreme—the hard-to-please actor. “I have worked with some
real divas in my time,” Dr. Jackowitz mused. “They definitely keep you on your toes.”
