Born in New York City, Roth spent his elementary years in Ridgewood, New Jersey with his parents – billionaire real estate developer Steven Roth and theater producer Daryl Roth – and older sister.[3] He returned to New York in middle school to attend the Horace Mann School.[4][5] Throughout high school he performed in plays and frequently attended Broadway shows with his mother, to whom he credits his early exposure to theater.[3]
After graduating, Roth returned to New York City.[9] In 1999, he produced The Donkey Show, an interactive A Midsummer Night's Dream set to disco music.[8] The production, a disco club event combining elements of both theater and nightlife,[4] ran for six years off Broadway, toured internationally, and ran weekly at the Oberon space of the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts[10] until 2019.[11] The show was described by The New York Times as "a lark, an exuberant and witty splicing of disparate sources."[12]
In 2005, Roth joined Jujamcyn Theaters as a resident producer. He was promoted to vice president in 2006.[18][19] In 2009, while still at Jujamcyn, he began an MBA program at Columbia University.[8] In September 2009, at age 33, he purchased a 50% ownership stake in Jujamcyn Theaters and became the company's president when Rocco Landesman, Jujamcyn's previous president and owner, was appointed by President Obama to run the National Endowment for the Arts.[20] In 2013, he acquired a majority stake in Jujamcyn, with Landesman retaining a small interest and becoming President Emeritus.[21]
Roth has appeared on television as the Broadway correspondent to MSNBC's Morning Joe[23] and has played himself in a recurring role on the NBC television series Smash.[24][25] Roth is a haute couture collector. He journaled the Spring 2019 Paris Fashion Week for Vogue magazine.[26]The New York Times said Roth has become a "red carpet magnet" due to his "penchant for avant-garde couture."[27]
Roth hosts an interview series Broadway Talks at the 92nd Street Y, facilitating one-on-one discussions with Broadway actors.[28][29] He also produced and starred in the YouTube animated series, The Birds and the BS, a comedic series addressing American culture in the Trump era;[30] and publishes the online newsletter, Warmly Jordan.[31] Previously, Roth founded the social network website Culturalist, which aggregated "Top 10” lists from users.[32]
On February 2, 2019, Roth received the HRC Legacy Award, awarded by the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that raises funds in the fight for LGBT equality.[35]
Philanthropy
In 2007, Roth created Givenik.com, a service that allowed theater-goers to buy discounted tickets and give 5% of their ticket price to the charity of their choice. Givenik.com supported over 500 charitable organizations.[36][32] As of 2020, it has ceased operations.[37]
On October 17, 2016, Roth and Harvey Weinstein collaborated to produce Broadway for Hillary, a one-night fundraiser hosted by Billy Crystal, featuring Julia Roberts, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emily Blunt, Angela Bassett, Neil Patrick Harris, and Helen Mirren.[42]
Personal life
In June 2003, Roth met Richie Jackson, a talent manager and executive producer.[43] They married in September 2012. He is co-parent of Jackson Foo Wong, Jackson's son with his former partner, BD Wong. Roth's son with Jackson, Levi Emmanuel Roth, was born through surrogacy in 2016.[44][45]