Celebrated as a pioneer in the media, fashion and arts industries, Willette Murphy Klausner is recognized for always pushing the envelope and elevating herself to success. Since 1981, she has excelled as the owner and theatrical and film producer of WMK Productions in Los Angeles, California. Since that time, she has been honored on several occasions for her work in the realm of theater, earning the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Drama League in 2022.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Klausner served at MCA Universal Studios in numerous roles, most notably as the vice president of marketing and research between 1975 and 1981. Impressively, she was the first female vice president and female executive of the studio production company. Likewise, she served as the president and owner of Three Mo’ Tenors between 2001 and 2013 and was a project director and then head of operations on the West Coast for a major marketing research company. Furthermore, she has maintained affiliation with the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts. Over the course of her prolific career, Ms. Klausner has been a trailblazer in all her pursuits, having also been the first female senior class president at her alma mater, the University of California Los Angeles.
Attributing much of her success to her upbringing, Ms. Klausner credits the influence of her parents as a factor leading to her present success. To this end, she advises that her parents taught her to work diligently from a formative age. Among the many highlights of her career, she is especially proud of rising through the ranks of success from humble beginnings.
Looking toward the future, Ms. Klausner aims to finish her outstanding projects, particularly her follow-up to the revered “Les Miserables,” which she intends to premiere on Broadway. Additionally, she would like to travel more often and visit Europe.