Gigi Pritzker Talks Company Mission to Champion ‘Badass Women’ and Overlooked Voices
Gigi Prtizker’s Madison Wells banner has a new look, intended to reflect the company’s commitment to “spotlighting stories for, by and about badass women, as well as people who love pushing boundaries.”
Founded in 2015 by Pritzker, Madison Wells’ focus has been on bringing meaningful stories to life via film, television, theatre and podcasting, with projects that have ranged from Broadway musicals “Million Dollar Quartet” and “Hadestown” to National Geographic’s limited series “Genius” to the immersive art experience “Nevermore Park.”
The veteran producer — whose personal resume also includes “Drive,” ”Green Street Hooligans,” “Ender’s Game” and “Hell or High Water” — tells Variety that the need for a fresh start was inspired by the happenings of the last 18 months, which she notes have been a period of “thoughtful reflection.”
“I wanted to take this opportunity to more sharply focus and articulate our purpose as storytellers,” Pritzker explained. “For me, that is about amplifying the voices of women and also of those pushing boundaries and trying to change their world for the better.”
To create the company’s new logo and refreshed website, Madison Wells partnered with the female-founded agency Ampersand, collaborating in order “to give graphic presence to this new North Star.”
“Part therapy, part hanging with your favorite ladies, it was a process that pulled out the essence of why we do what we do and gave it shape and color,” Pritzker said of working with the Ampersand team.
“I love our new logo — it has sass, movement, vibrancy and perhaps a hint of the hippie as well,” she continued. “We are energized by this new focus which is the culmination, for me, of a lifetime of my work and my values.”
In discussing what the company’s values are, Pritzker points to Madison Wells’ recent and upcoming projects.
On the film front, the company partnered with Jessica Chastain’s Freckle Film to produce “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” Chastain also stars in the film, which gives audiences an intimate look behind the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. Madison Wells’ latest movie “India Sweets and Spices” will hit theaters Friday, distributed by Bleecker Street. Written and directed by South Asian female filmmaker Geeta Malik, the film features an all-Indian cast led by Sophia Ali (Amazon’s “The Wilds,” “Uncharted”) and Rish Shah (“Ms. Marvel”).
“‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ is about showing a side of a woman that history may have counted out, ‘India Sweets and Spices’ is a romantic comedy wrapped around a feminist coming-of-age story about class,” Pritzker said, explaining how the projects demonstrate the company’s values.
“The lens through which we view our work includes stories that are important and have something to say while also being entertaining and accessible to everyone,” she added.
Madison Wells has also worked to ensure the projects produced by its live division demonstrate the same aims through the mediums of theater, podcasting and other media ventures. For example, Madison Wells Live was behind the sexy and adventurous outdoor theatrical experience “Seven Deadly Sins,” which debuted in June, helping to usher in live theatre after the pandemic closures. Working with Tectonic Theatre Project, the groundbreaking show took audiences through seven uniquely designed storefronts in NYC’s meatpacking district, as the show merged live theater with performance art.
In August, the company celebrated the opening of “Pass Over,” for which Madison Wells Live was a producer. The critically acclaimed show from playwright Antoinette Chinonye was the first play to open on Broadway after the pandemic closures. Madison Wells Live also produced “The Inheritance” which recently won the Tony Award for Best Play, and fellow Tony winner “Hadestown,” which also just re-started its Broadway run.
Other upcoming shows from Madison Wells Live include “Company” with Patti Lupone and a new Christmas show based on the Tony-winning “Million Dollar Quartet” called “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas.”
