AGENCY DESCRIPTION
Levingston M-Pire Entertainment is a creative-concept and talent marketing agency. It was established to develop a plan for new up and coming artists by providing a life plan strategy for their talent(s) and career. The agency’s focus is to nurture ambition, guide and connect to entertainment industry resources, create artistic concepts and to develop marketing strategies to shape a higher level of branding success.
ABOUT THE CEO
Henry Levingston III, CEO and Marketing Director of LME, is an entertainer-entrepreneur and has worked in the entertainment industry since 1984. Henry brings 30+ years of entertainment experience to LME and holds an Interdisciplinary Master of Arts Degree in Arts Communication and Marketing Management from California State University, Los Angeles. Levingston is a college instructor and believes that combining academia, marketing and business management into the fabric of LME’s projects and program designs will provide a higher intellectual enrichment for its new talent and program participants.
Levingston nurtures a goal-setting mentality for living a balanced life and embraces a “see you through” mentality, quoted by the famous 70s jean designer Gloria Vanderbilt. Levingston follows his own 1984 motto, “Think positive, stay persistent and don’t give up until you die.” Henry states, “It’s very beneficial during those lonely rising-to-the-top moments.”
Levingston’s Timeline
1989 through 1993 saw the beginning of Henry’s professional career path. He began writing and directing for children and teen theatre projects. While working for the Kansas City, Missouri school district as an elementary school paraprofessional, he wrote his first play called ‘Eddie Hodges vs The Math Monster.’ His next writing project was his first full-length stage play ‘Am I Dying Secretly?’ It was produced by the Metropolitan Ebony Theatre under the direction of Chery Collins and he performed the lead role. 1992, he made his screen debut in Orion Pictures ‘Article 99,’ sharing the screen with actors John Mahoney and Keith Davis.
1993 through 1995 was a period of dramatic expansion of Henry’s theatre and music career. Upon his return to Los Angeles in 1993, he produced and directed his stage play “Am I Dying Secretly?” at the Marla Gibbs Crossroads Theatre in Leimert Park and the following year at the Complex Theatre in Hollywood.
In 1995, Henry began producing music in the recording studio. His music career began at age 10 playing the clarinet. He played until his departure from Hampton University and later began studying professional voice and other music courses. He has produced six CD singles and is now in the production with other songs to complete the 21LPK (tentative title) album. He has also created a “PosiFunk” new world sound (positive messages with funky beats)
1997 through 2000 began Henry’s expansion to entertainment theatre and youth services. He was employed at Universal Studios Hollywood and was part of opening the new Jurassic Park store. He established the ‘Guest Service Lead’ position in the merchandising department and served as a park merchandise dept. lead. A year later he transferred to the entertainment department and joined the show crew team for the Nickelodeon stage show, Wild West stunt show and several others. In 1998, Henry also worked as a Youth Advocate for troubled teens at the Los Angeles LGBT center’s youth transitional living program.
From 1999 to 2006, Henry became a professional student and earned two Associate of Arts degrees from Los
Angeles City College and his BA and MA from California State University, Los Angeles. In 2004, he was employed by California State University, Los Angeles as a Graduate Assistant to instruct courses in arts management and introduction to theatre. In 2005, he was an Associate Professor at CSULA teaching Introduction to Theatre. In 2006, upon the completion of his education, he was employed by the Community Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles as a Resident Services Supervisor. He was instrumental in reorganization, designing new education and innovative programs for youth and families.
From 2008 to 2016, Levingston has focused on building LME, a creative concept and talent marketing agency. In 2008, he made the decision to focus his energy on building his brand 21LPK. Henry has worked with the Balboa and San Diego Theatres as part of the front house staff ranging from usher to asst. chief. He extended his work with children while working for an historic children’s company Heritage Tours of San Diego, a private company that has offered San Diego Old Town history tours to public and private elementary school students for over 20 years. Levingston is a college educator and has taught online instruction in Introduction to the Theatre and Survey of Drama at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.