Carla Clark | For The Republic Phil Geoffrey Bond hugs his sixth grade teacher, Fayette Beecher, during the reception and ceremony for induction of Bond into the East Alumni Wall of Fame at Columbus East High School, Friday, April 13, 2022.
The name’s Bond. Phil Geoffrey Bond, to be exact.
Bond, a 1993 graduate from Columbus East High School with an extensive career in the theatre industry, has been inducted into the high school’s Alumni Wall of Fame. He was honored Friday night with a reception and award ceremony at the school.
Nominations for the Wall of Fame are evaluated based on “contributions in professional achievements, honors or awards received, community service, meritorious contributions to society and memoriam for death in the line of duty.”
“The program is working to build a legacy of excellence for past, present and future generations of Columbus East students,” the association said.
Bond currently lives in New York City and Garrison, New York with his partner, Richard Peri. He said in a previous email exchange with the Republic that the award brings with it a sense of nostalgia.
“I’m just very touched and grateful that someone would consider me,” he said. “High school is both rewarding and tough for everyone, so to come back all these years later — it’s surreal.”
Bond was born in the suburbs of Detroit and moved to Columbus at the age of 5. He was involved in community theatre from a very young age, participating in productions with the Mill Race Players and Columbus Theatre Arts Guild. When he wasn’t onstage, he was working behind the scenes.
In addition to theatre, he was also involved in speech and choir during his time at Columbus East. After high school, he graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with dual bachelor’s of fine arts degrees in acting and dramatic writing.
Bond is the founder and CEO of Above Deck Entertainment, which provides Broadway performers to the cruise industry. During his career in the arts, he has been a theatrical publicist, an assistant producer for the Broadway production of “The Lion King,” and director of programming and original programming at 54 Below, one of New York’s premier cabaret venues. He has held leadership roles in various New York theaters and recently returned to Broadway to co-produce the play “Hangmen.” He has also written various books, such as “The Last Year at Low Tide,” “My Queer Youth” and “Small Town Confessions.”
Additionally, Bond recently partnered with Yellow Sound Label to produce the three-volume, six-disc set “Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions,” commemorating the work of the late composer Stephen Sondheim. The recordings feature 70 vocalists and more than 120 of Sondheim’s songs backed only by piano. The third volume is scheduled for release in June.
The project grew out of Bond’s popular and award-winning cabaret series, “Sondheim Unplugged,” which he has orchestrated for more than a decade.
Closer to home, Bond’s contributions to the community included organizing Arts For AIDS performance fundraisers, which supported Indianapolis’ Damien Center in its work treating HIV and AIDS patients.
