UTA Head Of Theater Mark Subias Exits Agency For Production Company Smuggler

Greg Evans
·3 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Mark Subias, UTA partner and head of theater, is exiting the agency to take a newly created job at production company Smuggler.

Subias, who has headed UTA’s Theater department for the past decade, will join Smuggler as Managing Partner of a new management arm at Smuggler, an international commercial, theater and film production company. Subias also will be developing and producing projects across theater, TV and film for the company.

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“Mark helped plant UTA’s flag in the theater community and we are grateful to him for building out the business and the wonderful team of agents he helped hire, promote and mentor,” said UTA President David Kramer. “We’re excited to see what Mark does, and to continue to collaborate with him in his new endeavor.”

As Managing Partner, Subias will oversee the development and growth of the newly created Smuggler Management. He’ll be tasked with guiding the careers of a select roster of artists (to be announced) and working closely with his former colleagues and the industry at large.

Subias’ clients over the past two decades have included Danai Gurira, Dave Malloy, David Cromer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Itamar Moses, Ivo van Hove, Lucy Prebble, Thomas Ostermeier, Cynthia Erivo, Pam MacKinnon, Benedict Andrews, Marco Ramirez, Heidi Schreck, Bash Doran, Jordan Harrison and Joe Penhall, among others.

Subias’ exit from UTA coincides with a round of layoffs at the agency, and marks the second UTA partner to leave in the past week, joining Bec Smith who also has been considering management for a while.

Smuggler was founded in 2002 by producers Patrick Milling-Smith and Brian Carmody. An independent creative platform, Smuggler develops content across all media, from worldwide ad campaigns to Broadway shows and documentaries. Notable projects include Macbeth starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga; Broadway-aimed musical Sing Street; and the 2019 Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical starring Michael C. Hall, a one-show-only charity event staged by the candy maker in lieu of a typical Super Bowl commercial.

Smuggler has also produced Emmy Award-winning commercials for Sandy Hook Promise and SquareSpace; and was a producer of the Tony Award-winning musical Once. The company has offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

“I’ve known and loved Patrick for most of my career,” said Subias in a statement, “and I’ve always admired his intelligence, taste, acumen and humanity, all top-notch. It’s going to be a total blast partnering with Smuggler.” He called his time at UTA “the most profound of my career; deep respect and gratitude.”

“It’s a welcome privilege and great opportunity for us all at Smuggler to have the chance to build and dream big with a long-term friend and true force such as Mark Subias,” said co-founder Milling-Smith, who cited Subias’ “well-earned reputation for great taste, loyalty, high integrity and strong instincts.”

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