After reading the script for Fortune and Men's Eyes by former prisoner and playwright John Herbert, he was instrumental in producing the play for an off-Broadway production.
Eventually, Rothenberg became editor in chief in the student academic years '54 and '55, even though a petition was circulated alleging he was a communist, likely as a result of his participation in social and political protests.
This story was suppressed by Francis Van Derbur due to his high standing in the business community and his position on the Alumni Association at the university[12] Rothenberg arrived in NYC in 1958 after release from the US Army.
Rothenberg was eventually hired by Bob Larken to cover interviews with actors, directors and producers by TV and radio stations.
[3] The theatre saw the likes of Joan Fontaine, Shirley Booth and Henry Morgan perform there and gave Rothenberg great access and networking opportunities.
Through his work he met and befriended titans of American theatre such as John Gielgud, Richard Burton, Alfred Drake, Charles Boyer, Ralph Richardson, and Elizabeth Taylor.
[21] Following his success, Rothenberg began representing plays by Pulitzer Prize winning playwrights Edward Albee, Tennessee Williams and England's Harold Pinter, as well as more than 200 Broadway shows over the course of his career.
[13] In 1966 Rothenberg was invited by Jordan Charney and Nancy Cooperstein to workshop Megan Terry's Viet Rock, which gave him the opportunity to participate in escalating antiwar protests.
By the time Viet Rock opened in New York, Rothenberg had already begun working with Fortune and Men's Eyes, his second standalone production.
Dance critic Clive Barnes thought it exciting and three years later raved about the play's revival after becoming a theatre reviewer for the New York Times.
[3][27] John Herbert, the author of Fortune and Men's Eyes', had been incarcerated previously after an altercation by some thugs had caused a mass roundup by police.
Initially, the organization began as discussion forums at the Actor's Playhouse featuring a diverse set of interlocutors including parole officers, elected officials, and the formerly incarcerated, among others.
[30] Rothenberg's office on West 46th Street became the de facto headquarters of the organization, and the group began fundraising at Tuesday night discussions.
Clarence Cooper, Frank Sandiford, Eddie Morris, and Rob Freeley were panelists on the show, leveraging their social status and celebrity.
[31] The next day 250 former convicts were lined up outside Rothenberg's small theater office, anticipating an organization that could help them with employment and housing.
Notables like Arlene Francis, Melba Moore, Zoe Caldwell, and Christopher Reeve supported the organization and fundraised for its cause.
The model tutoring program that still runs today was created at this time, offering classes for illiteracy, GED and college preparation, as well as career services.