CNBC Airs BETTING BIG ON BROADWAY Special Today

It's a world filled with big gambles, terrible odds and elusive jackpots. CNBC's Maria Bartiromo pulls back the curtain on Broadway revealing high risk, big drama, and mountains of money. It's an all or nothing business where investors can make a killing or lose it all. From high-rolling producers to power wielding theatre owners, meet Broadway's venture capitalists, with tons of money on the line, will they win big or lose everything?

Betting Big on Broadway takes viewers backstage with the mega-producers behind the biggest BET ever made in Broadway history, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Will the $75 million musical turn a profit? Bartiromo speaks candidly about all the money and drama surrounding Spider-Man with original Director Julie Taymor and the show's lead producers Jeremiah Harris and Michael Cohl.

Plus Bartiromo takes us inside Disney Theatricals to meet the one man who consistently beats the odds on Broadway, Thomas Schumacher. From Lion King's more than $5.2 billion gross to the Disney productions that lost millions, Schumacher covers it all, including Newsies and his big-bet to turn a Disney film that flopped into a Broadway show that hits big.

The half-hour documentary includes a revealing look at 38-year old Jordan Roth, who runs Jujamcyn Theatres home to two of Broadway's biggest hits: Book of Mormon, and Jersey Boys. His willingness to take risks and embrace innovation is changing the game on Broadway, and pushing ticket prices to record-breaking heights.

CNBC's Betting Big on Broadway also follows the journey of Broadway producer Debbie Bisno to see if she can beat the odds as she raises over $2.5 million to bring the play Grace starring Paul Rudd, Michael Shannon, Ed Asner, and Kate Arrington to Broadway.

Betting Big on Broadway hosted by Maria Bartiromo premieres on CNBC at 9:00PM ET/PT today, February 4, 2013.