October 23, 2015

Called “the fifth Beatle” by Paul McCartney, Brian Epstein was the visionary who discovered the Beatles performing in a Liverpool cellar. The untold story of the life and work of Epstein, who would become the band’s manager—and who was gay when it was a felony to be so in the UK, Jewish at a time of anti-Semitism, and from Liverpool when it was considered just a dingy port town—is the subject of Vivek Tiwary’s graphic novel, THE FIFTH BEATLE: THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY, soon to be a major motion picture. A #1 New York Times bestselling author and 25-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer whose many productions include Green Day’s American Idiot, Mel Brooks’ The Producers and The Addams Family, Tiwary will visit Westphal on Tuesday, November 3 for a wide-ranging and free-to-the-public lecture at 6:30pm in the URBN Annex Screening Room (3401 Filbert Street) which should be of interest to Film, Music Industry, Entertainment & Arts Management and Screenwriting & Playwriting students, as well as theater aficionados and fans of graphic novels, not to mention of the Beatles.

Tiwary’s graphic novel follows the true story of Brian Epstein as he guides the Beatles to unprecedented international stardom. The book received international critical acclaim and a number of literary awards, including the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Reality-Based Work and two Harvey Awards including Best Original Graphic Novel.

Tiwary is now adapting the book into a screenplay for a major motion picture, for which he’ll serve as producer and which will feature unparalleled access to Beatles music. During his lecture on November 3 he will discuss the unique process of adapting a graphic novel into a feature film.

On Broadway, Tiwary’s productions have won a combined 25 Tony Awards over 44 Tony nominations. Vivek is currently working with Alanis Morissette and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Tom Kitt to adapt Morissette’s breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill for Broadway.

He is CEO and President of Tiwary Entertainment Group Ltd and also serves on the Board of Directors for Valiant Entertainment, a multi-platform company that boasts the third largest universe of comic book characters with a 5-film deal with Sony Pictures. Prior to founding TEG and online music education/empowerment company StarPolish, Tiwary held a number of major label music-industry positions and has worked with artists covering the musical spectrum, from Bruce Springsteen to Britney Spears.

His Drexel visit is co-hosted by the Westphal College’s Rudman Institute for Entertainment & Industry Studies and the Entertainment & Arts Management program. For more information, please contact Karen Curry at kac387@drexel.edu.