Theatre manager
Theatre managers have responsibility for the personnel, financial and administrative aspects of the theatre. They need to be commercially minded and may be responsible for leading marketing and publicity activities.
A theatre manager recruits and manages staff from the box office to back stage and will be responsible for HR processes such as training. Customer care is also a crucial part of the role to ensure the public get the most out of their experience when visiting the theatre.
The role of a theatre manager varies depending on the size of the venue. In smaller theatres, the manager may be responsible for all of the areas mentioned above, while in larger theatres they may just be involved in one aspect while other managers take responsibility of specific sections such as finance or HR.
Ensuring that a theatre works successfully on a commercial and a practical level requires a passion for theatre, enthusiasm and a hands-on approach.
Typical activities vary according to the size and type of theatre (for example, repertory or receiving) and the structure of the management team.
However, tasks may typically include:
Although this area of work is open to all graduates, a degree in the following subjects may increase your chances:
It is also open to all Diplomates but an HND/foundation degree in the following subjects may be of specific help:
Entry without a degree/HND/foundation degree may be possible as practical theatre experience, dedication and enthusiasm are often rated highly by employers.
Postgraduate study is not essential, although graduates of degree disciplines which are not directly related to the above subjects could consider taking a postgraduate course in arts administration.
Work experience is highly desirable and most theatre companies would expect to see evidence of at least some of the following: voluntary or paid work at a theatre (even work in the theatre bar or box office may be useful); work shadowing; membership of a theatre group; experience of performing in or managing stage productions, either on the artistic or technical side; and involvement in theatre work through your university or college.
Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
To progress into theatre management, you also need to demonstrate that you are dedicated, determined and resilient.
To help break into this career get involved in the theatre as much as possible. Go and see as many productions as you can and talk to the people who have developed them. Gain experience in working with performing artists and keep up to date with what is going on in the theatre industry, on a national and local level.
Entry would not normally be directly to a theatre manager post. It is much more likely that you would work your way up through a range of work in theatres, including managing specific functions, such as front of house. There are many different routes in, for example through marketing or technical experience.
Some jobs are filled by word of mouth (reputations become known in theatre circles) or by advertisements appearing in in-house publications. Look out for alternative job titles, or jobs which include the management of specific areas within a theatre, e.g. house manager, box office manager, administrator or general manager. Anyone wishing to enter the profession must be prepared to be mobile and for the potential implications on family and personal commitments.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training for theatre managers generally takes place while working and there tends to be no specific method or structured course of training that is followed in every theatre.
Many theatre managers start out from other roles in the theatre, including marketing, technical, artistic or front of house. Through this work they gain a great deal of background experience and understanding of how a theatre operates, and develop a wide range of relevant skills from working with professional staff. They may then specialise in their chosen field and eventually apply for a management job, or take on an assistant's role and gradually work their way up to management level.
Most training is informal, although occasional in-house courses may be provided. The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) runs seminars and training courses on areas that include arts marketing, finance, touring productions and management skills. The TMA also holds conferences and a range of networking events. These are useful to keep up to date with developments in the industry. The TMA also produces a quarterly magazine, Prompt, which includes practical management tips and news from the Arts Councils and other arts managers.
Some higher education institutions offer postgraduate courses in arts administration on a part-time or distance learning basis, allowing managers to take the qualification while working.
Theatre managers usually work their way up through jobs in administrative or technical areas, assistant management posts or management of a specific function within the theatre. Most theatre managers expect to spend between two and five years in their first job in order to gain experience. It is likely that they will then move on to a larger theatre or different type of organisation in order to enhance and develop the skills and expertise they need to progress in their career. It helps if managers are prepared to move to any area of the UK and are willing to accept greater challenges with each new appointment.
Progression to larger, more prestigious venues is often dependent upon having a good reputation. This can be enhanced by:
Managers may also gain experience by accepting fixed-term contracts or project work opportunities, perhaps related to developing a new venue or organising a particular event or festival. With experience, opportunities to move into freelance consultancy work may open up. It is also fairly common for theatre managers to leave the industry and move into roles within arts administration or cultural development, bringing their commercial knowledge and arts development skills to national arts development agencies or funding authorities.
Membership of the Theatrical Management Association (TMA) helps to increase networking and raise awareness of developments in the profession which may lead to other job opportunities.
There are two main types of theatre in the UK. These are repertory theatres, which have a resident company producing its own work and presenting plays from a repertoire, and non-repertory or receiving theatres that buy in plays and other productions.
Typical employers include:
The growth of the theatre industry is dependent on the quality of work produced and the size of the audiences which it brings in. Injections of money, for example through lottery funding, help the theatres to thrive and when they do there is likely to be a demand for writers and directors, and a corresponding role for theatre managers in supporting and encouraging their work.
Increasingly, individual theatres have their own websites with details of placement and job opportunities. Equity provides an online job information service for its members which includes up-to-date analyses and vacancy information from all areas of the arts and entertainment industry. The British Performing Arts Yearbook also provides full listings of contacts and venues in the industry, which is useful for making speculative applications.
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